Authorities in Japan have requested 1.2 million individuals to limit their water usage, including showers and laundry, in order to prevent sewage leaks from complicating the ongoing rescue operation of a truck driver trapped in a sinkhole.
The incident occurred in Yashio during the morning rush hour on Tuesday when the sinkhole suddenly opened up and swallowed the truck.
Rescue efforts have been hindered by unstable ground surrounding the hole and the appearance of a second, larger hole. Additionally, water has been seeping into the sinkhole.
“Our main priority is to save the person’s life, so we are urging residents to minimize non-essential water usage such as bathing and laundry,” a Saitama prefecture official informed AFP on Thursday.
“While refraining from using toilets may be difficult, we are asking residents to conserve water as much as possible.”
The prefecture issued a statement to approximately 1.2 million residents advising them to “avoid using sewage as contaminated water may overflow.”
Some sewage water from the area was redirected to a nearby river on Wednesday.
Since Tuesday at 1:00 pm, there has been no communication with the 74-year-old truck driver, and rescue teams have been working tirelessly to reach him.
The initial sinkhole, which was approximately 10 meters wide and six meters deep, has now merged with another hole.
“By 2:30 am on Thursday, the two sinkholes had combined, and due to the risk of further landslides or road collapses, heavy machinery could not be used,” an official from the fire department told AFP.
(This story has been republished from a syndicated feed without any alterations except for the headline.)
