KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — The second day of the search and rescue (SAR) operation for a female Indian national who fell into a sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India here has been suspended due to the lack of new leads.

Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman said the rescue teams had conducted searches in six sewer manholes around the area and at the Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) sewage plant in Pantai Dalam.

"However, as of 7pm, we found no new leads regarding the victim’s whereabouts.

"The Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Civil Defence Force and IWK will hold further discussions to conduct search at the initial location (Jalan Masjid India),” he told a press conference at the scene.

He said there are currently no plans to expand the search area beyond the six manholes, as the site where the victim fell was confined to these locations.

Earlier, Sulizmie Affendy said six sewer manholes have been opened in stages since this morning to expand the SAR operation area.

The six locations are at Wisma Yakin, Jalan Melayu, Jalan Melayu intersection, Dataran Merdeka, Bank Pertanian Lebuh Pasar Besar and the Kinabalu roundabout.

The victim, identified as Vijayaletchumy, 48, a tourist from India, fell into the eight-metre-deep sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India after the ground gave way when she was walking to a nearby temple at 8.22am yesterday.

The SAR operation will resume at 8am tomorrow. — Bernama