The search for an Indian tourist who was swallowed by a sinkhole in Malaysia’s capital has stalled after being deemed too “high risk”, eight days after she disappeared.
Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, 48, was walking along a road in Kuala Lumpur on 23 August when the pavement beneath her suddenly collapsed.
She plunged into the eight-metre sinkhole and disappeared. Since then, the rescue attempt has gripped Malaysia.
Rescuers found no trace of Ms Gali except her slippers, which were found in an initial 17-hour search.
Teams have been trying to hunt for her in the city’s sewers but the conditions are tough.
Now, the country’s Fire and Rescue Department says it is too dangerous to send more divers down after her, according to the Straits Times.
The sewers are reportedly blocked with solid blocks of human excretion, hair and cooking oil, making it almost impossible to navigate the fast-flowing pipes.
“Besides posing a high risk to scuba divers, there are also obstructions difficult for divers to navigate [in the sewers],” said Nor Hisham Mohamad, the department’s director-general.
While watching the search effort in the early hours of Friday, he became concerned about the safety of divers who had to lie flat and crawl through a narrow hole.
“When we saw the entry point, which was about 60cm wide, we were really worried that they might get stuck.
“There was a piston effect from the water, making it impossible for them to retreat, which is very dangerous,” he said, according to the state news agency Bernama.
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Two divers entered the sewers early on Thursday but it was too dangerous and they were quickly pulled out.
A second sinkhole also appeared on Wednesday about 50 metres from where the woman disappeared, sparking concern over public safety.
The search operation has involved tracker dogs, remote cameras and ground-penetrating radar to try and pinpoint blockages underground.
Police said Ms Gali came to Malaysia with her husband and friends about two months ago for a vacation.
The accident occurred just a day before they were due to return home. Her family’s visas have been extended while they wait for news.