"Selfie Craze Linked to Rising Fatalities Globally"
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Rescue operations are intensifying in Yashio, Saitama prefecture, Japan, as emergency workers strive to save a 74-year-old truck driver trapped in a large sinkhole that opened on January 28, 2025. The sinkhole, measuring approximately 10 meters across and 10 meters deep, initially engulfed the driver and his two-tonne vehicle. According to local media, the situation has escalated due to a second sinkhole that formed on January 29, 2025.
Rescue efforts were temporarily halted due to hazardous conditions, with water leaking into the sinkhole, complicating the recovery of the driver, who reportedly communicated with rescue workers shortly after the incident but has since ceased responding. Saitama governor Motohiro Ono remarked that the first sinkhole was likely caused by a ruptured sewage pipe, with additional concerns surrounding an underground gas line, prompting nearby evacuations.
Efforts to manage water flow have included discharging wastewater into a local river while advising approximately 1.2 million residents to conserve water. Local officials continue to monitor the area closely due to the potential for further collapses.