Search for Indian Tourist in Kuala Lumpur Sinkhole Faces New Challenges

The search for an Indian tourist who was swallowed by a sinkhole in Malaysia's capital entered a seventh day on Thursday, with the operation hampered by strong undercurrent flows and worries about oil instability after a second sinkhole emerged nearby.

Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, was walking along a road in the Dang Wangi area in Kuala Lumpur on August 23 when the pavement beneath her suddenly collapsed. She plunged into the 8-metre-deep (26-foot-deep) sinkhole and disappeared.

Rescuers have found no trace of her so far except her slippers. The search operation has involved flushing through portions of the drain system, using high-pressure water jets and excavators to remove debris, tracker dogs as well as remote cameras and ground penetrating radars to map inaccessible areas.

Nor Hisham Mohammad, deputy director of the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, said the search will continue. He said scuba divers may be sent into the sewage tunnel to check on an obstacle that was detected if conditions are safe. Two divers entered early Thursday but it was too dangerous and they were pulled out before they could reach the obstacle.

Authorities said a soil slip was also reported in the same location last year. A second sinkhole appeared on Wednesday about 50 metres from where the woman disappeared, sparking concerns over public safety. Some roads in the affected area have been shuttered after the incident.

Kuala Lumpur Mayor Maimunah Mohamad Sharif has reassured the public of the city's safety. She said that a task force has been formed to inspect sewage pipes and assess the safety of structures in the surrounding area.

Police said Gali had come to Malaysia with her husband and friends about two months ago for a vacation. The incident occurred just a day before they were due to return home.