Tokyo: A truck that fell into a sinkhole which suddenly appeared on a road near Tokyo has captured national attention, as efforts to rescue the elderly driver drag on. The incident has led to concerns over flooding, leaking sewage, and raised questions about Japan’s aging infrastructure.

The sinkhole appeared in Yashio City, located just northeast of Tokyo, on Tuesday morning. A 3-ton truck fell into the hole shortly after it formed. Initially, the sinkhole was around 10 meters (33 feet) wide and 5 meters (16 feet) deep, but it has since doubled in size, increasing the danger to rescue workers and those in the surrounding area.

A 74-year-old man is believed to be trapped in the cabin of the flat-bed truck, which fell into the hole. Although he was conscious and communicated with rescue workers earlier, he has not responded since Tuesday afternoon, according to Yashio fire department official Yoshifumi Hashiguchi. The rescue operation has been ongoing, but the growing size of the sinkhole and the instability of the ground have made it challenging.

Rescue challenges and unstable ground

Rescue teams have been hampered by the unsteady ground beneath the road, which is now hollowed out. The road’s surface has cracked and collapsed into the sinkhole, as shown in television footage, with billboards knocked over in the process. Despite using cranes to lift the truck and attempt to rescue the driver, the operation has been unsuccessful in recovering the cabin where the driver is believed to be trapped. Efforts to remove sediment and dig out the driver have also failed, and a drone was sent into the hole to assess the situation. Unfortunately, this has not led to any progress in the rescue mission.

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Japan Sinkhole | Photo: AP

Flooding concerns and sewage leaks

Compounding the challenges, authorities have raised concerns about flooding due to the leaking sewage from a damaged pipe. Saitama prefectural sewer system official Jun Uehara explained that corrosion, possibly caused by strong acid constantly passing through the system, may have created a hole in the sewage pipe. This hole has led to soil above it falling in, creating a large hollow space between the pipe and the road, which is believed to be the cause of the sinkhole.

The sewage water leaking from the damaged pipe is threatening to flood the surrounding area.

To mitigate this risk, over one million residents in Saitama prefecture, particularly those in areas where sewage flows through the pipe, have been asked to limit activities such as showering and laundry to prevent the sewage from overflowing into the sinkhole.

"Using toilets is difficult to refrain from, but we are asking to use less water as much as possible," an official said.

The prefectural authorities have also begun diverting sewage from an upstream pumping station, releasing it into a nearby river after treatment, according to Uehara.

Evacuations and local disruptions

In addition to the ongoing rescue efforts, the incident has led to evacuations in the vicinity. Around 20 residents from within a 200-meter (656 feet) radius of the sinkhole have taken shelter at a local junior high school, according to the city’s reports on Thursday. This precautionary measure has been put in place due to concerns about further ground instability and the risk of flooding caused by the sewage leak.

Aging infrastructure under scrutiny

The incident has reignited concerns about the condition of Japan’s infrastructure, particularly its ageing sewage systems. The sinkhole has raised questions about the long-term stability of the country’s public infrastructure, much of which was built during the rapid economic growth of the 1960s and 1970s. The sewage pipe involved in the Yashio sinkhole is approximately 40 years old. The Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Ministry has ordered a nationwide inspection of sewer systems in response to the incident.

Once the driver is successfully rescued, experts will enter the sinkhole to assess the damage to the sewage system and investigate the cause of the collapse. 

AP