YASHIO, JAPAN — A truck and its driver were swallowed by a massive sinkhole at a busy intersection, approximately 32 feet wide and 16 feet deep, which appeared at around 10 AM local time on Tuesday, as reported by Motohiro Ono, the governor of the Saitama prefecture. The sinkhole was thought to have been caused by damage to the Nakagawa River Basin sewer pipe, which led to the subsequent collapse and the truck falling inside.
Rescue operations commenced immediately after officials realized the driver had become trapped within the vehicle, which was nearly submerged. Almost eight hours later, according to Nippon TV, the man was still stuck due to sand and mud filling the driver’s seat. Fortunately, he was conscious and able to communicate with rescuers earlier, but reports later indicated they could no longer reach him.
Aerial footage displayed the scene, showing at least 12 fire trucks responding to the incident within the city, which lies north of Tokyo. Police are currently investigating the causes behind this sinkhole, raising concerns about infrastructure stability as social media users speculated on the causes behind the road collapse.
Local residents noted the area’s historical infrastructure issues, with one user named "kaishi" commenting on social media about the possibilities of previous waterways beneath the surface. "It looks like the waterway had been covered up and a road built over it, and the roof of the culvert had collapsed," they shared.
This incident isn’t isolated, as Japan has seen several sinkhole events over the past few years. A sinkhole developed in Hiroshima last September after an underground water pipe burst, leading to significant infrastructural damage and the rescue of people trapped inside buildings. Another notable occurrence happened in 2016 when Fukuoka experienced a sinkhole about 98 feet wide and 50 feet deep, which garnered worldwide attention due to the swift repairs made by local workmen.
Rescue teams are continuously working to save the trapped driver, pumping air to offer him oxygen, demonstrating prompt emergency responses to hazardous conditions. The urgency of the situation has prompted reflection on the adequacy of infrastructure assessments. What might be seen as just another accident could spark serious discussions about urban planning and construction standards across Japan.
Mayor Motohiro Ono has expressed his firm commitment to resolving the situation with all available resources and has conveyed his thoughts to the family of the trapped driver. “Our main priority is to rescue the driver,” he stated during the media briefing.