A rescue mission in Yashio, Saitama prefecture, Japan is underway as workers battle to reach a 74-year-old truck driver trapped in a sinkhole that swallowed his vehicle. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning when the truck fell into a 10-meter-wide and 10-meter-deep hole near Tokyo.
Rescue efforts have been temporarily halted twice due to new hazards emerging – including water leaks and gas pipes nearby. Residents within a 200-meter radius of the site have been evacuated as officials suspect an underground gas pipe in the area.
Local authorities believe the first collapse was caused by a ruptured sewage pipe, while the second sinkhole appeared after leaking wastewater loosened the surrounding soil. A total of 1.2 million residents have been advised to use less water in an effort to reduce the flow into the sinkholes.
The man trapped in the sinkhole initially communicated with emergency workers but did not respond when firefighters called out to him later that day. His condition remains unknown, and officials are working to release wastewater into a nearby river to reduce the flow of water into the site.
The governor of Saitama prefecture warns that the possibility of further sinkholes forming cannot be ruled out. Evacuated residents are spending the night at municipal facilities due to concerns about their safety.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/30/japan-sinkhole-driver-trapped-two-days-tokyo