A sudden sinkhole swallowed an SUV amidst heavy traffic in central Seoul, injuring two individuals. The incident, which occurred around 11:20 AM local time (9:20 AM in Thailand) on Thursday, August 29, was captured by a dashcam from a vehicle following behind.
Photos from the scene show a white SUV overturned and trapped in a 2.5-meter-deep sinkhole that appeared suddenly on a busy road in Seoul. Video footage reveals the traffic congestion on the road just before the sinkhole abruptly formed and pulled the SUV down.
Emergency personnel rescued the 82-year-old male driver and a 76-year-old female passenger, though their conditions have not been disclosed. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported.
Traffic in the affected area of Seodaemun continued but was severely restricted until the evening.
Authorities used a crane to lift the vehicle out of the hole and are now repairing the damaged road. An investigation into the cause of the sinkhole is underway.
Last year, South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport reported at least 879 sinkhole incidents from 2019 to June 2023. Nearly half of these were attributed to damaged sewer pipes.
