About 70 employees from two companies in Bestari Jaya, Selangor were evacuated to a relief centre at SK Rantau Panjang, after a massive sinkhole appeared in an open area near their premises on Saturday evening (January 16th).
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant director of operations Hafisham Mohd Noor said there was a 10m-deep fissure over 50,000sqm of land near Jalan PKPS in Kampung Bestari Jaya.
Thankfully, no one was caught in the rubble, but the sinkhole did swallow up some buildings and lorries.
“Based on preliminary information, Selangor JBPM was told that there was a victim buried in the sediment, however, after doing a headcount of workers at two nearby premises, none of the victims were found missing or buried,” he said.
To put things in perspective, an Olympic swimming pool is 1,250sqm and this sinkhole is roughly the size of 40 such pools.
Photo via Malaysiakini
According to the Malay Mail, a special team under mining company, Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB), has been set up to look into the source of the incident.
“Thus far, there is no risk to health and the environment, and we are identifying the damage and other losses at the site and its surrounding vicinity,” said KSSB corporate communications department head Suhaimi Khalidi.
We’re glad no one was hurt!
by Kyle Roshen Jacob
