Japan Has Been Trying to Rescue a Man From a Sinkhole for Days. The Problem: It Keeps Growing

The driver’s fate remains uncertain as rescuers race against time to find a safe way to reach him.

Japan has spent days trying to rescue a man from a sinkhole
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Miguel Jorge

Writer

Journalist specializing in technology and science.

Authorities in Japan are grappling with a massive sinkhole, approximately 131 feet wide and 50 feet deep, that emerged last Tuesday in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo. What began as a minor accident has escalated into a crisis.

The sinkhole and a race against time. For six days, Japanese authorities have been trying to rescue a 74-year-old driver trapped in the ever-expanding sinkhole. The ground collapsed beneath his truck while he was stopped at an intersection.

Witnesses say the man initially responded to rescuers, but hours later, a landslide inside the sinkhole buried him, cutting off all communication. Since then, the hole has continued to grow, turning the rescue effort into a desperate race against time.

The sinkhole’s expansion. Officials say the rescue operation is extremely difficult due to unstable ground conditions. Days after the initial collapse, a second cave-in occurred nearby, merging with the first and expanding the sinkhole to about 66 feet across. This secondary collapse also swallowed the front of the truck, where the driver is believed to be trapped.

Rescuers face enormous challenges reaching him. The increasing depth has severely limited access, and a fire department spokesman called the situation “extremely dangerous,” noting that only a limited number of rescuers can work at once.

Rescue strategies. Teams have explored using heavy machinery to clear debris and free the driver. Last Wednesday, a crane removed part of the truck’s bed, but the driver wasn’t there. For this reason, rescuers fear that he is trapped in the vehicle’s cab, which remains completely buried.

Unstable soil conditions prevent traditional excavation methods, as further digging risks triggering another collapse. Rescuers must proceed with extreme caution to avoid worsening the situation.

Why did it happen? Investigators believe a ruptured sewer pipe beneath the road caused the collapse. The pipe, which transported sewage to a nearby treatment plant, weakened the soil enough to trigger the disaster.

The incident has affected more than just the rescue effort. Authorities ordered 1.2 million residents in the area to limit water use due to damage to the sewer system.

Inspection history. Sewer systems in the area undergo routine inspections every five years. The most recent, in fiscal 2021, found signs of corrosion, but inspectors didn’t deem repairs urgent at the time.

Given the severity of the collapse, Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has ordered emergency inspections of similar sewer systems, particularly those linked to large-scale treatment plants.

The situation is getting worse. The sinkhole keeps expanding, prompting authorities to evacuate five homes and advise other residents within 165 feet to leave.

The cavity, originally 16 feet wide, has now grown to 131 feet across—about the length of an Olympic swimming pool—and 50 feet deep.

Rescue suspended. On Sunday, rescuers halted operations after finding residual water beneath the access slope, making conditions too dangerous to continue. Rainfall worsened conditions.

On Saturday, rescuers had climbed a 100-foot slope with heavy machinery in an attempt to reach the truck. But inside the “crater,” conditions became too dangerous. The sinkhole’s walls continue to erode, making it impossible for rescuers to stay inside for long.

While engineers work on stabilizing the ground, the rescue remains on hold, and the risk of further collapse looms. The situation is critical, with no immediate solution in sight.

Image | S. Tsuchiya (Unsplash)

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