KUALA LUMPUR: The search and rescue operation (SAR) to locate the Indian tourist who fell into a sinkhole that opened up at her feet along Jalan Masjid India on Friday will employ a flushing technique following the failure of previous methods to bring any results.
Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said the decision to use the technique was reached after discussions with the SAR team and Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) indicated that the slow flow of water in the focus search area – the fifth and sixth manholes, located at Bank Pertanian Lebuh Pasar Besar and Kinabalu roundabout.
“IWK will conduct flushing downstream and they have complete mapping of the area and agreed to conduct an integrity test in the area,” she said in a media conference near the site of the sinkhole here today.
Dang Wangi district police chief ACP Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman, Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Rozihan Anwar Mamat and IWK chief executive officer Nanrendran Maniam were also present.
Rozihan explained that the team returned to search the fifth and sixth manholes today even though they had completed a search yesterday.
Based on findings, they found that the current at both manholes were rather slow, possibly due to blockage and debris there and the flushing technique will be used to ensure that there was nothing stuck there, he added.
He also shared that the SAR team would currently continue their search till the victim is found.
Narendran meanwhile said that the flushing will be conducted by stopping the water near the manholes with the suspected blockage before they release it quickly to create a pushing force.
“We will hold back the water… the water level will rise and when we release, it will push it back. We are now in preparations to conduct the flushing in identified areas,” he said.
Six sewer manholes were opened and inspected in stages as part of the search yesterday.
The Indian woman who fell into the sinkhole, identified as Vijayaletchumy, 48, was in Malaysia touring and reportedly on her way to a nearby temple to have her breakfast when the incident occurred.
