Minivan and Police Car Fall Victim to Same Sinkhole Amid Heavy Rain in Western Japan
15:48 JST, September 12, 2023
A driver of a minivan in Minami-Awaji, Hyogo Prefecture, called the police around 8:35 a.m. on Monday, saying, “My car has fallen into a sinkhole full of water.”
The road in question was flooded by heavy rain at the time. The driver was luckily able to escape unharmed through a window before his car was completely submerged.
Soon after, a police patrol car from Minami-Awaji station rushed to the scene and promptly fell into the same sinkhole. The police officer on board was also able to escape safely.
According to the police, the sinkhole is 5 meters long, 4 meters wide with a depth of around 3.5 to 4 meters. The drivers did not notice the sinkhole because it was covered with floodwater.
Hyogo prefectural government has closed off the section of road around the sinkhole and is considering how to repair it.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Record 320 School Staff Punished for Sex Offenses in Japan
-
New Year’s Ceremony Held at Imperial Palace (UPDATE 1)
-
Central Tokyo Observes 1st Snow of Season; 25 Days Earlier than Last Winter
-
Tire of Landing Gear of JAL Plane Goes Flat at Haneda; No Injuries Reported, but Runway Closed 25 Minutes
-
Japan Allows 5 Countries to Renew Working Holiday Visas; Britain, Canada Among Eligible Countries
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Prehistoric Stone Tool Cut Out of Coral Reef and Taken Away in Kyushu island; Artifact was Believed to Have Been Dropped in Sea During Prehistoric Jomon Period
- Record 320 School Staff Punished for Sex Offenses in Japan
- New Year’s Ceremony Held at Imperial Palace (UPDATE 1)
- Immerse Yourself in Snoopy’s World Ahead of Comic Strip’s 75th Anniversary Next Year; Renovated, Refreshed Museum Features Original, Reproduced Comic Strips, Vintage Merchandise
- Central Tokyo Observes 1st Snow of Season; 25 Days Earlier than Last Winter