Japan battles Tokyo sinkhole to rescue man trapped for 2 days

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) – Rescuers battled to rescue a man in a truck trapped for two days in a huge sinkhole near the capital Tokyo on Wednesday.

His fate, however, is unclear as water accumulating in the hole hindered the rescue efforts with the driver's seat now buried in sand, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The 74-year-old man, whose truck was engulfed on Tuesday morning at an intersection, was initially able to communicate but became unable to speak after a few hours.

Local authorities have called on the residents within a 200-meter radius to evacuate as a new sinkhole was formed early Wednesday near the site in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture.

A gas pipeline is also running underground in the area.

Presumably, the first hole was formed due to the corrosion of a sewer pipe running below the prefectural road.

"We cannot rule out the possibility of the sinkhole expanding," Saitama Governor Motohiro Ono was quoted a s saying by Kyodo News.

Authorities have urged the residents in 12 cities and towns to refrain from using the sewage system, affecting some 1.2 million inhabitants.

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