A 74-year-old man remains trapped in a giant sinkhole near Tokyo, four days after his truck was swallowed by the hole. The sinkhole, initially 5 meters wide and 10 meters deep, has expanded to approximately 40 meters wide and 15 meters deep.
Rescue efforts continue with heavy machinery potentially needed to stabilize the site. The elderly man was conscious when trapped in his truck’s cabin and communicated with rescue workers but stopped responding on Tuesday afternoon. Authorities are cautious that the sinkhole may be filling up with river water from a damaged underground rain pipe, delaying rescue operations.
Construction of a nearly 30-meter-long ramp is expected to take another two or three days. Saitama prefectural officials suspect corrosion caused by “strong acid” passing through the sewer system may have created the hole in the pipe. Despite previous inspections finding no issues, the sinkhole’s rapid expansion has raised concerns. Nearby residents have been evacuated and are taking shelter at a local high school.
Source: https://people.com/teams-are-still-trying-to-rescue-truck-driver-swallowed-by-sinkhole-in-japan-8783695