2-week search for Japanese man shifts from sinkhole to sewage pipe
Since first forming, sinkhole grew to 40 meters wide by 15 meters deep after merging with another sinkhole
ISTANBUL
A two-week search for a Japanese driver who was swallowed by a sinkhole near Tokyo on Jan. 28 is shifting to a nearby sewage pipe, local media reported.
Authorities on Sunday said that they didn’t find the 74-year-old man in the sinkhole, leading them to think he might be in the sewage pipe, according to the Kyodo News Agency.
Firefighters ceased operations in the sinkhole due to concerns about further collapse after using heavy machinery and a ramp to access the site and begin clearing mud and debris.
Authorities last Tuesday urged around 1.2 million residents across 12 cities and towns to reduce water use – including showers and laundry – to ease pressure on the sewer system.
Local officials suspect the collapse is linked to deteriorating sewer pipes.
Since first forming, the sinkhole grew to 40 meters (131 feet) wide by 15 meters (49 feet) deep after merging with another sinkhole.
Sinkholes usually form when acidic rainwater erodes underlying bedrock, creating damage beneath the surface.
