Thankfully, no motorists were swallowed
A burst water pipe underneath Jalan Sri Hartamas 1 near the National Registration Department (NRD) is believed to have opened a sizeable sinkhole that disrupted traffic in the area.
Speaking to reporters, City Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Sarifudin Mohd Salleh said the incident took place on Wednesday (20 October) afternoon.
“The situation has been controlled and the police are monitoring the traffic at Jalan Sri Hartamas 1 near Publika,” he said.
Pictures of the damaged road have been making its rounds on social media. Seen located just next to the road is a construction site but whether the burst pipe was caused by works done at the site is yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) operations centre also confirmed the incident, which had caused both sides of the road near the intersection of Jalan Sri Hartamas 1 and Jalan Dutamas 1 to be closed to traffic.
According to DBKL’s Integrated Transport Information System (ITIS) Facebook page, closure of both sides of the road needed to be done as the sinkhole was expanding. Rainfall likely made the situation worse but thankfully no injuries were reported.
Interestingly, this is the second sinkhole to appear on the same road after the first incident back in July 2020. Whatever the cause, sinkholes are becoming increasingly more common in Malaysia. It is therefore our duty as drivers to remain vigilant and keep our eyes on the road ahead. Also, make sure you carry a comprehensive insurance policy as insurance providers do cover damages caused by sinkholes.
