KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 – The search and rescue (SAR) operation for the victim of last Friday’s sinkhole at Jalan Masjid India has now entered its fifth day, with multiple strategies employed in a determined effort to locate the woman.
On Tuesday SAR team, comprising over 115 personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia (JBPM), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), the Malaysian Volunteer Corps Department (Rela), the Civil Defence Force, and the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), conducted a test by releasing a bottle into the nearby sewer manhole.
During a press conference after inspecting the search and rescue operations and visiting the victim’s family, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain revealed that the test showed it took approximately four hours for the object to reach the endpoint at the IWK Pantai Dalam treatment plant.
The search efforts have been further supported by the Malaysian Nuclear Agency and the Department of Minerals and Geoscience, which have been monitoring the site and conducting scans using flushing techniques, water jetting, and underground detection tools, including a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) device, to locate the missing Indian national tourist.
One of the strategies carried out by JBPM was to utilise push rods and crawler cameras in the manhole network, between two sewer manholes located on Jalan Melayu and Bulatan Kinabalu.
However, in a statement, DBKL said that the push rods and crawler cameras method failed to yield results.
Consequently, the SAR team continued their efforts at the IWK Pantai Dalam treatment plant, while the search at Jalan Masjid India has been expanded to the sidewalk next to the sinkhole.
A GPR device, which was also used during the Batang Kali landslide in December 2022, has been deployed to locate the missing victim.
This device works by emitting electromagnetic waves below the surface of the ground through a transmitter and detecting the reflected waves using a receiver sensor.
Meanwhile, at the Pantai Dalam treatment plant, IWK employed the flushing technique assisted by JBPM.
According to Kuala Lumpur JBPM acting director Rozihan Anwar Mamat, the search for the victim today is being concentrated at this site.
Since yesterday, high-powered water jetters have been used to break up rock debris in the manhole in front of Wisma Yakin, Jalan Masjid India, as part of the ongoing search.
In addition to specialised equipment, the SAR team has also deployed tracker dogs Frankie and Denti from the JBPM K9 Unit.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi has instructed the Public Works Department to provide technological support to the SAR team, despite the incident being in an area under the jurisdiction of the Federal Territories Department and DBKL.
The victim, identified as Vijayaletchumy, 48, who was in Malaysia with her family for a vacation, fell into the eight-metre-deep sinkhole at Jalan Masjid India at 8.22 am last Friday.
