As search enters seventh day, Jalan Masjid India remains closed to vehicles as second sinkhole complicates rescue

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — The search and rescue (SAR) operation for the sinkhole victim at Jalan Masjid India, now entering its seventh day, has encountered a new challenge as another land subsidence was detected yesterday.

In the startling development, the subsidence was discovered at 2.30am near a police post, just 50 metres from the sinkhole where an Indian national tourist, identified as 48-year-old Vijayaletchumy, had fallen into an eight-metre-deep hole

As a result, Jalan Masjid India has been closed to all vehicles, and the public is prohibited from accessing the area, although pedestrians are still allowed to use unaffected parts of the road.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) have been instructed to inspect the sewage pipes at the new subsidence site.

Earlier yesterday, the SAR operation, involving the Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM), DBKL, the Civil Defence Force, and the police, began with discussions on techniques, methods, and task assignments, alongside a survey conducted by the Department of Minerals and Geoscience.

Meanwhile, at the IWK Pantai Dalam treatment plant, two SAR team members re-entered the pump station this morning in a continued effort to locate the missing victim.

Equipped with masks, oxygen tanks, and safety helmets, they entered the station around 10.30am and emerged 20 minutes later. However, as of yesterday noon, no positive leads were found.

Bernama was informed that the SAR operations at the Pantai Dalam treatment plant were suspended around 5.40pm, with the search set to resume at 9am today.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who visited the sinkhole site at Jalan Masjid India, announced that the government will conduct an integrity audit of the entire utility system on Jalan Masjid India once the SAR operations are concluded.

He said the inspection is necessary to ensure public safety and to determine the cause of the land subsidence in the area.

Netizens and the public have been continuously praying for the swift recovery of the victim.

Around 1.10pm, the appearance of four individuals carrying yellow chrysanthemums and performing a nearly 10-minute religious ceremony at the site drew the attention of passersby.

Meanwhile, JBPM told Bernama tonight that it had detected an obstruction caused by an object lodged between the sinkhole and the second sewage chamber, located approximately 80 metres away.

Deputy director-general of Operations Datuk Ahmad Izram Osman said the obstruction was detected by the K9 unit dogs, Denti and Frankie, which were deployed at the site yesterday afternoon, along with camera surveillance.

Ahmad Izram said the diving operation from the sinkhole to the second sewage chamber will commence at 2am today, involving eight divers supported by 75 personnel overseeing machinery and logistics.

“We are conducting this operation at 2am because we expect the sewage water level to be below one metre then, compared to the usual level of 1.5 metres at a speed of three knots currently. This speed indicates strong water flow, which poses a risk to the divers.

“We are going to inspect the sewage chamber because there is a small gap between the wall of the chamber and the sewage pipe, where an object may be lodged,” he said, adding that Denti and Frankie will be deployed alongside the camera and divers once the sewage water recedes.

As of 11 last night, the SAR team was seen pumping out sewage water to facilitate the movement of divers from JBPM’s Water Rescue Team at 2am today. — Bernama