Search operation for victim of sinkhole at Masjid India enters third day

KUALA LUMPUR: The search operation for the victim of the sinkhole at Masjid India, which has entered its third day, resumed this morning after being halted last night when searches in six manholes yielded no results.

According to Berita Harian, the search and rescue (SAR) operation, which was suspended at 7 p.m. yesterday, resumed around 9:30 a.m. today with efforts focusing on the second manhole on Jalan Melayu and the third manhole at the Jalan Melayu intersection.

The SAR operation involves agencies such as the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force, the Royal Malaysia Police, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, and Indah Water Konsortium.

Yesterday, six manholes around the SAR location in front of Malayan Mansion, Jalan Masjid India, were opened in stages after previous efforts to locate the victim in the area proved unsuccessful.

Additionally, BH’s observation at the location found the victim’s family arriving as early as 8 a.m., with the victim’s son, identified as Surya, 26, receiving information about today’s operation.

The observation also noted that most of the nearby businesses remain closed despite the absence of police tape.

Yesterday’s search operation focused on six manholes on Jalan Masjid India.

These six manholes are located in front of Wisma Yakin, Jalan Melayu, the Jalan Melayu intersection, Dataran Merdeka, Bank Pertanian near Lebuh Pasar, and Jalan Kinabalu.

In the incident at 8:25 a.m. the day before yesterday, a 48-year-old Indian woman named Vijayaletchumy was reported missing after falling into a sinkhole approximately eight meters deep on Jalan Masjid India, Kuala Lumpur.

The Kuala Lumpur Fire Department received the report at 8:22 a.m., and a team from the Titiwangsa Fire and Rescue Station and Hang Tuah Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the scene.