A man lost his life after being engulfed by a significant sinkhole in South Korea's capital, Seoul, as confirmed by local fire officials. The tragic event took place in the Gangdong district around 6:30 PM local time (9:30 AM GMT) on Monday when the road unexpectedly collapsed beneath him while he was riding his motorbike.
Tragic Death in Seoul: Man Found in Sinister Sinkhole
Tragic Death in Seoul: Man Found in Sinister Sinkhole
A motorcyclist who fell into a perilous sinkhole in Seoul has been found deceased, as emergency efforts continue to address the aftermath of this grave incident.
Rescue teams discovered his body on Tuesday morning, approximately 50 meters (164 feet) below the surface and away from the initial point of the fall. Additionally, a car driver sustained injuries during the incident, which has since gained traction across social media platforms in South Korea.
Footage from a dashcam, gaining wide viewership, appears to capture the harrowing moment the road gave way. The video depicts the motorcyclist plunging into the hole, while a vehicle traveling ahead narrowly escapes the disaster. Earlier in the rescue efforts, first responders retrieved the man's mobile phone and motorcycle from within the gaping hole, which measures 20 meters in diameter and depth.
Authorities are still working to identify the victim, a man believed to be in his 30s. Kim Chang-seop, the head of the Gangdong fire station, reported that the sinkhole contained about 2,000 tons of dirt and water mixture at the time of recovery. Investigators have yet to determine the exact cause of the sinkhole's formation.
Notably, a report presented to the local government indicated that Seoul has witnessed 223 sinkholes over the past decade. Similar incidents have occurred globally; a truck driver in Japan went missing after an accident involving a sinkhole earlier this year, while a search for a woman lost in a Kuala Lumpur sinkhole was called off after a week last August.
The natural occurrence of sinkholes can often be attributed to the deterioration of limestone or chalk beneath the surface, resulting in gradual enlargement of the depression, or, in the case of collapse sinkholes, sudden failure of the overlying rock due to erosion or human activities.
Understanding the causes and types of sinkholes remains critical as urban areas continue to grapple with this unpredictable geological phenomenon.
Footage from a dashcam, gaining wide viewership, appears to capture the harrowing moment the road gave way. The video depicts the motorcyclist plunging into the hole, while a vehicle traveling ahead narrowly escapes the disaster. Earlier in the rescue efforts, first responders retrieved the man's mobile phone and motorcycle from within the gaping hole, which measures 20 meters in diameter and depth.
Authorities are still working to identify the victim, a man believed to be in his 30s. Kim Chang-seop, the head of the Gangdong fire station, reported that the sinkhole contained about 2,000 tons of dirt and water mixture at the time of recovery. Investigators have yet to determine the exact cause of the sinkhole's formation.
Notably, a report presented to the local government indicated that Seoul has witnessed 223 sinkholes over the past decade. Similar incidents have occurred globally; a truck driver in Japan went missing after an accident involving a sinkhole earlier this year, while a search for a woman lost in a Kuala Lumpur sinkhole was called off after a week last August.
The natural occurrence of sinkholes can often be attributed to the deterioration of limestone or chalk beneath the surface, resulting in gradual enlargement of the depression, or, in the case of collapse sinkholes, sudden failure of the overlying rock due to erosion or human activities.
Understanding the causes and types of sinkholes remains critical as urban areas continue to grapple with this unpredictable geological phenomenon.
