KUALA LUMPUR – The KL City Hall (DBKL) has ordered the closure of the Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman night market tonight to facilitate the search-and-rescue operation for an Indian tourist who fell into a sinkhole along Jalan Masjid India yesterday.
The popular night market in the city centre, which is held every Saturday, is near the sinkhole area in front of the Malayan Mansion – where Vijayaletchumy, 48, from Kappa in Andra Pradesh, had fallen into around 8.20am yesterday.
DBKL said another programme, the Santai Seni arts programme, scheduled to be held in the Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman area for tomorrow, is also postponed for the same reason.
“The night market is closed today while the Santai Seni programme is postponed to allow the search for the victim who is yet to be found, and also considering the safety of night market traders,” DBKL said in a statement on social media.
Vijayaletchumy fell 8m-deep when the pavement she was walking on opened up under her.
After 17 hours of searching, authorities only found a pair of slippers belonging to her, and feared she could have been swept away by strong currents.
Search operations are ongoing in the area, with rescue teams comprising the Fire and Rescue Department, police and sewerage treatment authority Indah Water Consortium (IWK) facing subterranean challenges including strong water currents and toxic gas.
The plan is to open up manholes in the area along sewerage lines to search for the victim.
Dang Wangi police chief Sulizmie Affendy Sulaiman told media this morning that six sewer manholes have been opened so far, at the site of the incident on Jalan Masjid India, at Wisma Yakin, Jalan Melayu, Dataran Merdeka, Bank Pertanian on Lebuh Pasar and at Jalan Kinabalu.
He said the search at the manhole in front of Wisma Yakin at 10.30am today did not yield any finds, whether of the victim or clues to her whereabouts.
Water flowing in the sewer line is still fast moving and is at 0.9m-high, he added.
“The search operation has to be done in stages as there are many risks for the search and rescue team,” Sulizmie told the press.
Vijayaletchumy was scheduled to return to India today after spending two months in Malaysia.
Four of her family members, who were visibly distraught and in tears, were seen near the site of the incident today waiting for updates on the search operation.
Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Maimunah Mohd Sharif said the area is still safe for business operations but advised traders to be cautious. – August 24, 2024