Woman buried alive in 26-foot sinkhole when pavement collapses in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — A woman plunged into a 26-foot-deep sinkhole in downtown Kuala Lumpur on Friday after the pavement she was on caved in and buried her alive, Malaysian authorities said.

The incident occurred in the Dang Wangi area of the Malaysian capital, where local police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman said, based on eyewitness accounts, that the woman was walking along the sidewalk when the earth suddenly collapsed beneath her.

The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department, which received an emergency call early Friday, has said the woman was believed to be an Indian national.

Malaysia Sinkhole — This photograph from the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department shows emergency personnel entering a deep sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur after receiving reports that a woman had fallen in after part of the pavement caved in on August 23, 2024.

Malaysian Fire and Rescue Service / AP

But Sulizmie said he could not confirm her identity, as investigations are ongoing. Emergency crews cordoned off part of the area and used an excavator to clear the debris in the hole, but there was still no sign of the victim.

“The search will continue until the victim is found,” he said.

He declined to comment when asked about the woman’s possible condition or the cause of the incident.