Japan continues trying to rescue driver trapped for 4 days in sinkhole

By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japanese authorities are still trying to rescue a man trapped Tuesday in a sinkhole on a road near Tokyo.

Authorities are working to build a ramp, which may take several days, to rescue the trapped driver, according to the Kyodo news agency.

"We are doing what we think is best. All we can do is proceed with the operation," the news agency quoted a rescuer as saying.

The 74-year-old man, whose truck was swallowed by a giant sinkhole on Tuesday morning at an intersection, was initially able to communicate but became unable to speak after a few hours.

Local authorities had called on the residents within a 200-meter (656-foot) radius to evacuate as a new sinkhole was formed early Wednesday near the site in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture.

Around 1.2 million people 12 cities and towns were asked to limit showers and laundry use in order to ease pressure on the sewer system.

By Thursday, the sinkhole had expanded to approximately 40 meters (131 feet) wide and up to 15 meters (49 feet) deep after merging with another sinkhole that formed on Wednesday.

Sinkholes usually form when acidic rainwater erodes underlying bedrock, creating damage beneath the surface.