Rescue Efforts Intensify for Truck Driver Trapped in Tokyo Sinkhole

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Concerns are mounting for a 74-year-old truck driver trapped in a sinkhole near Tokyo for three days, as rescue workers have started building a 30-meter ramp to reach him. The driver became ensnared when the sinkhole opened on Tuesday, swallowing his two-ton truck. According to the local fire chief, Tetsuji Sato, the hole has expanded to 40 meters wide and 15 meters deep, complicating rescue efforts due to leaking water and gas pipes.

Residents of Yashio, the town where the incident occurred, have expressed frustration with the pace of the operation. Some 1.2 million people in surrounding areas have been advised to reduce water usage to prevent further complicating the situation, a measure an official described as challenging for residents. Investigations suggest that corroded sewage pipes led to the sinkhole's formation, causing water to erode the soil.

The driver, who communicated briefly with rescue workers shortly after becoming trapped, has not been heard from since. Authorities acknowledge that the critical 72-hour survival window without food or water has passed, raising fears for his health. Officials expect construction of the ramp could take several days before heavy equipment can be deployed to facilitate a rescue.

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