A motorcyclist died after falling into a massive sinkhole that suddenly appeared in Seoul’s Guangdong district on Monday evening. The incident captured on dashcam footage shows the road collapsing near a busy intersection at approximately 09:30 GMT.
The rider plunged into the 20-meter wide, 20-meter deep sinkhole while a car ahead narrowly avoided falling in. Rescuers located the man’s body underground on Tuesday morning, roughly 50 meters from where he fell.
The authorities have not named the victim, reportedly in his 30s. Emergency workers also retrieved the man’s mobile phone and motorcycle from the sinkhole, which contained over 2000 tons of mixed soil and water.
A car driver suffered injuries during the collapse, which has gone viral on South Korean social media. Authorities have not yet identified the cause of the sinkhole, but experts suggest poor maintenance, aging pipes, or excavation work could be factors.
A report submitted to Seoul’s city government revealed that 223 sinkholes have occurred in the past decade due to similar issues. Collapsed sinkholes, often caused by natural processes like limestone erosion beneath the surface, are common but can be accelerated by human activities.
Excavation projects or neglected maintenance can destabilize the ground, leading to sudden collapses. South Korea is not alone in facing such tragedies. In January, a truck driver vanished after his vehicle fell into a sinkhole.
Similarly, a search for a woman who disappeared into a pavement sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur was abandoned after a week in August. This recent incident highlights the urgent need for stricter infrastructure oversight.
