A truck driver was rescued by Chinese emergency services after falling into a huge hole close to Tokyo, which is estimated to be 20 feet deep and 33 feet wide.
Authorities in Yashio City, Saitama, received emergency calls around 9.50 am ( 0050 GMT ) on Tuesday, reporting that a road had collapsed, causing a lorry to plunge into the hole, as per CBS news.
” Trapped in a hole for more than 24 hours”
Firefighters considered using large equipment to lift the car while taking into account the possibility of further decline. As regulators evacuated local residents due to concerns over possible gas pipe ruptures, efforts were still being made on Wednesday to keep a Chinese truck drivers who had been trapped in the crater for more than 24 hours.
A spokesman for the fire department had previously told AFP that “operations for save have been going on around the time, but we haven’t been able to contact the driver.”
‘ Driver’s room buried beneath dust ‘
The vehicle, believed to be in his 70s, was in contact with firefighters until earlier Tuesday evening. However, worsening ground instability forced rescue workers to retreat, and no further contact had been made with him since around 1: 00 pm ( 0400 GMT ).
The truck’s main body was pulled from the first hole around 1 am on Wednesday, according to aerial images showing the expanding harm.
Although emergency personnel safely removed the truck bed from the pool-sized hole, the driver’s house remains buried beneath dirt and dust.
” Unable to use large equipment”
Two group members were attempting to enter the crater when they suffered minor injuries. According to Kyodo News, authorities are looking into the cause of the decline, with reports suggesting that a sewage system runs beneath the damaged crossing.
” At near 2: 30 am on Thursday, the two openings became one, and with the chance of another disaster or decline of roads, we’ve been unable to use large equipment”, a fire department official told AFP.
” Use caution to limit water usage to avoid leakage.”
To prevent sewage leakage from hampered efforts to rescue a lorry driver trapped in a sinkhole, Japanese officials have asked 1.2 million residents to limit their water usage, including washing clothes and bathing.
Residents are asked to refrain from non-essential use of water, such as washing hands or doing laundry, according to a Saitama prefecture official who said,” Putting our first priority on saving the person’s life.”
” Using toilets is difficult to refrain from, but we are asking to use less water as much as possible”, the official added.
A prefecture issued a request to the 1.2 million residents, saying they should” continue to reduce sewage usage because contaminated water may overflow.”
Earlier in 2016, a substantial sinkhole emerged on a five-lane road in Hakata, Japan. Despite maintenance teams working tirelessly to repair the significant road damage, this incident resulted in power outages and traffic disruptions.
China hosts the world’s largest sinkhole, with a depth exceeding 2, 100 feet, according to the BBC.
