Mumbai, August 31: The search operation for a woman from Andhra Pradesh, India, who was allegedly swallowed by a sinkhole in Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur entered its ninth day today, August 31. On Thursday, August 31, the search and rescue operation to rescue the Indian tourist was affected by strong undercurrent flows and worries about oil instability as a second sinkhole emerged nearby. Amid all of this, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall cancelled its Merdeka Eve celebrations, which were supposed to be held on Friday, August 30.

The Merdeka Eve celebrations were reportedly cancelled out of respect for the Indian woman who fell into a sinkhole in the city and is yet to be found. The alleged incident occurred on August 23 when 48-year-old Vijaya Lakshmi Gali was walking along a road in the Dang Wangi area in Kuala Lumpur. Multiple videos surfaced online showing the pavement beneath Vijaya Lakshmi suddenly collapsing and swallowing her as she plunged into the 8-metre-deep (26-foot-deep) sinkhole. Malaysia: Andhra Pradesh Woman Falls Into Sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur, Video Surfaces.

According to a report, the Merdeka Eve was to be held on the eve of Malaysia's Independence Day at Merdeka Square, which is several hundred metres from the sinkhole site. On Wednesday, August 28, Kuala Lumpur City Hall announced the cancellation of the event and called for unity while requesting Malaysians to show patriotism to mark the day. "Let’s be together – let’s live the meaning of independence with the spirit of patriotism," they said on Facebook.

After the incident came to light, local police said that Gali had come to Malaysia with her husband and friends nearly two months ago for a vacation. The incident is said to have taken place just a day before they were supposed to return home. So far, rescuers have found no trace of Vijaya Lakshmi Gali except her slippers. The search operation also involved flushing through portions of the drainage system using high-pressure water jets and excavators to remove debris and tracker dogs but has not yielded any results. Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur Beefs Up Search for Indian Tourist Vijaya Lakshmi Gali Who Fell Into Sinkhole a Week Ago in Dang Wangi Area.

Meanwhile, Razarudin Husain, the country’s police chief, said that there was no need to declare the Masjid India area where the incident occurred unsafe. Husain further stated that the sinkhole incident was "not classified as a disaster." On the other hand, Maimunah Mohamad Shar, the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, assured the public of the city's safety. She also said that a task force was formed to inspect sewage pipes and assess the safety of structures in the surrounding areas.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 31, 2024 08:03 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).