SAITAMA – Japanese authorities are employing a new rescue method to retrieve a 74-year-old man who fell into a massive sinkhole along with his truck on Tuesday. The operation has become increasingly urgent as more than 72 hours—the critical survival period—have passed.
The sinkhole has continued to expand, now measuring 40 meters wide and 15 meters deep. Rescue teams, in coordination with construction companies, have begun excavating a 4-meter-wide, 30-meter-long ramp to facilitate the entry of heavy machinery for debris removal. Work on the ramp started on Thursday and is expected to be completed within the next two to three days. Additionally, efforts are underway to construct barriers to prevent water from seeping into the sinkhole, which could further destabilize the ground.
The head of the fire department leading the rescue operation stated that search efforts remain extremely challenging due to the sinkhole’s rapid expansion. The initial collapse occurred on Tuesday, followed by another nearby sinkhole on Wednesday, which eventually merged into a single, larger cavity. (TNA)
