Sinkhole near Tokyo doubles in size with driver still trapped, Japan

ByRishav Kothari

A sinkhole that swallowed a truck and trapped the driver after opening at an intersection in Yashio, part of the Greater Tokyo Area, on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, collapsed further on Thursday, January 30, merging with the second opening that formed nearby and nearly doubling in size.

A sinkhole that opened at an intersection in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, on Tuesday nearly doubled in size after further collapse, merging with the initial hole at around 02:30 local time (LT) on Thursday. The hole is now approximately 20 m (66 feet) wide, with a risk of additional cave-ins.

The sinkhole swallowed a truck, trapping its 74-year-old driver inside. Although the driver was initially able to communicate, contact was lost on Tuesday afternoon as the driver’s seat became buried in debris.

Authorities attribute the collapse to a ruptured sewage pipe that leaked wastewater. Another sinkhole formed nearby, likely due to underground erosion caused by the leaking water.

The prefectural government began discharging wastewater into the nearby Niigata River late Wednesday as an emergency measure to reduce water flowing into the sinkhole.

Approximately 1.2 million residents across 12 cities and towns in the prefecture have been urged to refrain from using the sewage system since Tuesday, according to the prefectural government.

Rescue personnel are using small machinery to remove mud from the sinkhole to retrieve the driver. A drone has also been deployed to inspect the hole.

Officials state that the broken sewage pipe cannot be repaired anytime soon, and the effects of the incident will persist. There are plans to discharge wastewater into two additional rivers to prevent further accumulation in the sinkhole.

Read more:

Large sinkhole swallows truck, traps driver in Saitama Prefecture, Japan

Reference:

1 Sinkholes near Tokyo merge, man still trapped on 3rd day –Bangkok Post -January 30, 2025

2 Sewage water removed to rescue driver still trapped in sinkhole near Tokyo – NHK -January 30, 2025

Featured image credit: Kyodo (stillshot)

Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.

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