A massive sinkhole near Tokyo has swallowed a truck and trapped its 74-year-old driver, who has lost communication with rescue teams. The sinkhole in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, has expanded to 40 meters wide and up to 15 meters deep since it first appeared on Tuesday.
Rescue efforts are ongoing for the third day, with firefighters planning to deploy heavy machinery to remove earth and rubble from the hole. However, communication with the trapped driver has been lost since Tuesday afternoon, when his truck was buried in debris.
The sinkhole is believed to be caused by a damaged sewer pipe running underground in the area. To prevent further contamination of the nearby Niigata River, authorities have started discharging treated wastewater into the river as an emergency measure.
Residents in 12 cities and towns in the prefecture have been urged to refrain from using their sewage systems since Tuesday, with around 1.2 million people affected. A local resident described the situation as “inconvenient” due to the road being closed for three days.
Around 20 people are sheltering at a nearby middle school, within a 200-meter radius of the affected area. The operation to discharge wastewater is expected to continue until further notice, with authorities working to save the trapped driver.
Source: https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2025/01/5fa2ebb62c2d-sinkholes-near-tokyo-merge-man-still-trapped-on-3rd-day.html