In Shocking Video, Indian Woman Falls Into 26 Feet-Deep Sinkhole In Kuala Lumpur

Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, a 48-year-old woman from India, fell into a 26-feet-deep sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur’s Jalan Masjid India area on August 23. Vijaya was walking on the pavement when the road suddenly caved in making her disappear within seconds, leaving her family and other bystanders shocked. As per NewsAsia, the authorities have since searched all six manholes from Jalan Masjid India, where the incident happened, as well as a sewerage pond in Pantai Dalam, but there are no signs of the woman. Search operations have been ongoing for 80-plus hours.

Reportedly, the authorities are using a high-pressure sewer drain jetter machine to break through the debris blocking the sinkhole. The operation is set to cover the area from the incident site to 69 meters away. However, officials suspect that a strong underground water current might have carried Vijaya away from the sinkhole.

The CCTV footage of Vijaya’s disappearance into the sinkhole has now surfaced online. As seen in the video, after she falls into the large sinkhole, a man near the sinkhole also loses his balance but manages to save himself. The video also reveals the massive size of the sinkhole and includes scenes of the search and rescue team working to find her.

Dang Wangi, Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman during an interview with NewsAsia said, “We had used a camera crawler in the sewerage, and at a depth of about 4m, we noticed objects that looked like hard rock. We have been using the jetting technique to break the debris so that when it breaks, any objects including the body of a human will get past the objects. We will clear Wisma Yakin first because we see a lot of debris there. We are afraid that there is something behind that debris.” Moreover, Fire Operation Officer Alimaddia Bukri explained that rescuers have been diving into the sewer under challenging conditions, as there are strong water currents and no visibility. Heavy rains have made the task even more difficult. Bukri described the situation as frightening but highlighted that facing such fears is part of a firefighter’s duty.

Earlier reports mentioned that Vijaya’s family was on a 2 month’s holiday in Kuala Lumpur when the incident happened. According to The Edge Malaysia, the Immigration Department has now extended the visas of the victim’s four family members, including her husband, child, and two other relatives, by one month. Arvend Applasamy, Special Officer to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi even met with the family at the scene on Jalan Masjid India to offer support and discuss the situation.

As per the portal, he said, “The family members were understandably distraught during our meeting, but they have begun to accept the reality of what has happened. However, they are still requesting for the chance to see the victim’s face.”