KUALA LUMPUR: The search and rescue (SAR) operation to locate the Indian tourist who fell into a sinkhole that opened up at her feet on a sidewalk at Jalan Masjid India on Friday has begun using the flushing technique at one of the manholes located 50 metres from the sinkhole.

The SAR team was seen to have opened the manhole to start the flushing operation at 9.40 am using water from Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) tankers.

Dang Wangi District Police Chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman was also present but refused to comment further.

Any development will be made known to the press later, he said.

On Friday, media reported that a 48-year-old female tourist from India, identified as Vijayaletchumy, 48, was buried alive after falling into the eight-metre-deep sinkhole that occurred at 8.22 am.

She was in Malaysia touring and reportedly on her way to a nearby temple to have breakfast when the incident occurred.