Five days on, search operation continues for Andhra Pradesh woman who fell into sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur

Andhra woman goes missing after falling into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur (Image: X)

Five days after a woman from India's Andhra Pradesh disappeared in Malaysia’s capital Kaula Lumpur when pavement collapsed beneath her and she fell into a sinkhole, the Malaysian authorities on Wednesday (August 28) shut traffic movement on the Jalan Masjid India road, local media reported.

While the footpaths remain open, pedestrians are not allowed on the 400m stretch of the road.

The woman, identified as a 48-year-old tourist Vijaya Lakshmi Gali, is yet to be found.

According to the report, the road was repaired and that section was reopened to traffic on July 29.

Rescuers barricaded part of the area and used an excavator to clear debris in the sinkhole, but there was no immediate sign of the victim.

Following the incident, Kuala Lumpur police chief Rusdi Mohamad Isa stated there was a strong water flow underground and that the woman may have been swept away.

Rusdi was quoted by the national Bernama news agency as saying the search required careful planning because it involves public infrastructure. For instance, if pipes or drains were shut down, it could cause flooding in the area, he said. “We can’t act recklessly,” he added.

Rusdi said a soil slip was reported last year in the same location where the sinkhole appeared but that it was fixed. He said businesses in the area have been advised to close temporarily for safety reasons.

The woman had come to Malaysia with her husband and several friends about two months ago for a vacation and they were due to return home Saturday.