Residents’ Lives Still Affected 2 Weeks After Sinkhole in Saitama Pref.; Some Residents Near Sinkhole Asked to Evacuate

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:25 JST, February 11, 2025

YASHIO, Saitama — Tuesday marked two weeks since a truck fell into a sinkhole on a prefectural road in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture.

As the search for the truck driver, 74, is facing difficulty, the impact of the accident on the lives of the residents is becoming prolonged. The prefecture is asking nearby households to evacuate, fearing more cave-ins, and about 1.2 million people living in 12 municipalities in the prefecture to continue reducing their water use.

The accident occurred on the morning of Jan. 28, as the sinkhole opened near the middle of an intersection. The sinkhole, which was initially about 10 meters in diameter, expanded as a result of cave-ins, and is now about 40 meters wide, with its edge close to houses.

As cave-ins might continue to occur, 11 people from five households have evacuated to shelters as of Monday.

Underground cables were cut as a result of the cave-ins, causing telecommunication issues in the neighborhood, including about 400 phone lines being disconnected.

As water coming through the pipes hinders search activities, prefectural authorities have requested local residents and businesses to cut back on their water usage.

A ryokan Japanese-style inn in Hasuda is currently not serving meals to its guests in order to reduce its water usage.

“Some guests canceled their reservations because we aren’t providing any meals,” said the inn’s manager. “But I’d like to help by doing what little I can.”