A sudden sinkhole appeared on a busy road in western Seoul's Seodaemun district on Thursday, swallowing an SUV, with two passengers inside. The vehicle, carrying a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s, rolled over and crashed into the sinkhole, leaving both injured. The couple's white Tivoli "rolled over sideways, crashing into the sinkhole", the Korea Herald reported. Both sustained serious injuries and were promptly transported to a hospital. The unexpected sinkhole caused chaos on the roads, leading to severe traffic congestion.
Dramatic photos from the scene revealed a white sport utility vehicle almost entirely swallowed by a massive sinkhole that unexpectedly opened on the road. No one else was hurt in the incident, which occurred at around 11:20 am (0220 GMT), according to Seoul's Seodaemun district fire station, Sky News reported.
See the pictures here:
Authorities later cordoned off the area, restricting access as they launched an investigation into the cause of the sinkhole.
Sinkholes are a recurring issue in South Korea, with at least 879 reported cases between 2019 and June 2023, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The ministry attributed nearly half of these incidents to damaged sewer pipes.
Recently, a 48-year-old Indian tourist fell into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur. The woman, identified as Vijayalakshmi from Chittoor district's Animiganipalle village, was reportedly walking along a footpath when the ground collapsed. While her husband and son managed to escape the collapse, she was swept into the underground sewer.
Rescue operations were launched immediately by the civic authorities in Kuala Lumpur and are ongoing. Vijayalakshmi was known for frequently travelling to Malaysia and Singapore as part of her business. In response to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials from the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu (APNRT) Society to ensure that the search operations are conducted effectively.
