Human activity, weather, among causes of Masjid India sinkhole, says ministry
Published on: Saturday, September 07, 2024
By: FMT
Firefighters conducted search and rescue operations for more than a week at the sinkhole in Jalan Masjid India where an Indian tourist fell on Aug 23. (JBPM pic)
PETALING JAYA: The natural resources and environmental sustainability ministry has cited human activity and soil erosion as several factors which caused the 8m-deep sinkhole that appeared on Jalan Masjid India last month.
The ministry said the causes were determined based on the investigations by various agencies, including the mineral and geoscience department which conducted a probe using ground penetrating radar equipment.
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“Based on the investigations, the sinkhole incident was caused by several factors, including anthropogenic (human) activities, weather, and erosion of the underlying layers of soil.
"ZA technical report on the geological and sub-surface structure will be prepared within the next three months by a task force looking into the land structure of the Masjid India area, led by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL),"the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said that geologically, the bedrock in Kuala Lumpur consists of approximately 30% limestone as well as 70% granite and metasedimentary rocks, including the Kenny Hill Formation, Hawthornden Schist, and the Dinding Schist.
"The sinkhole area is primarily underlain by schist, phyllite, and quartzite of the Kenny Hill Formation,"it added.
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The ministry stressed that Kuala Lumpur remains safe. However, it also emphasised the importance of enhancing sub-surface monitoring, maintenance, and investigation procedures to identify and prevent potential threats of sinkholes and ground subsidence.
The sinkhole that appeared on Jalan Masjid India on Aug 23 had swallowed up a 48-year-old Indian tourist, Vijayaletchumy, who was walking down the street outside the Malayan Mansion when the incident happened.
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The ministry also said that through the mineral and geoscience department, efforts are underway to improve sub-surface data for the Klang Valley, involving 10 local authorities, under the Greater Kuala Lumpur Geological Mapping Project.
The search operation for Vijayaletchumy was called off on the ninth day.
Federal territories minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the decision to end the search was over concerns for the safety of the search team as well as that of the surrounding areas following the discovery of another sinkhole near the first site.
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