Rescue teams in Yashio City, northeast of Tokyo, are racing against time to save a 74-year-old truck driver trapped in a massive sinkhole. The sinkhole, initially measuring 10 meters wide and 5 meters deep, has doubled in size since it first appeared. On Tuesday morning, the driver’s 3-ton truck plunged into the chasm, leaving him trapped inside the vehicle's cabin. Although he was conscious and communicating with rescue workers earlier, he has not responded since Tuesday afternoon.
The alarming incident has resulted in immediate actions by local authorities and nationwide implications. In response, the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry has mandated inspections of sewer systems across the country. Concerns are mounting over Japan's aging infrastructure, particularly as the sinkhole's development is linked to a 40-year-old sewage pipe. This pipe underwent visual inspection five years ago without any issues reported.
The situation in Yashio City has prompted public safety measures impacting over one million residents in Saitama prefecture. Residents have been urged to limit water usage for laundry and bathing to prevent sewage overflow. In an effort to manage this crisis, prefectural officials are redirecting sewage from an upstream station and releasing it into a nearby river following treatment. Approximately 20 residents within a 200-meter radius of the sinkhole have sought refuge at a local junior high school, concerned about potential flooding and sewage leakage.
The incident underscores broader infrastructure vulnerabilities across Japan. Much of the country's key public infrastructure was erected during the economic boom of the 1960s and 1970s. As such structures age, they become increasingly susceptible to damage. Jun Uehara, an official with the Saitama prefectural sewer system, suggested that corrosion, possibly from strong acid, might have led to a breach in the pipe.
