Following a search that lasted almost 17 hours for a 48-year-old Indian tourist who fell into a eight-metre deep sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur, rescuers could only find a pair of slippers.

According to Malaysian media, the incident occurred at Jalan Masjid India on Aug. 23.

Kuala Lumpur's police chief, Rusdi Mohd Isa said the search had to be suspended at 12:30am on Aug. 24 due to heavy rain and the dark environment complicating rescue efforts.

The search is scheduled to resume today.

The woman had been walking in front of the Malayan Mansion at 8:20am on Aug. 23 when the ground suddenly collapsed, causing her to fall into the sinkhole.

@mothershipsg The woman is believed to still be in the sinkhole. #sinkhole #malaysia #sgnews ♬ News, news, seriousness, tension(1077866) - Lyrebirds music

KL police chief: Woman could have fallen into sewer line

Free Malaysia Today reported that an excavator and two scuba divers were deployed for the rescue mission.

Firefighters had excavated a 1.5 metre-deep chamber at the site of the sinkhole, which is part of a sewer line that leads to a sewage plant 7km away.

The fire and rescue department said the scuba divers had entered the chamber in the sinkhole to search for the woman.

The slippers were found in the excavated area of the incident.

Challenges the scuba team faced included strong currents, gas and sewage, Rusdi was further quoted as saying.

He added that Malaysia's national sewerage company, Indah Water Konsortium (IWK), would assist in the search by opening up every sewer manhole along the sewer line that ended at the sewage plant.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of IWK, Narendran Maniam, said it was possible for a human body to be carried by the sewer line as it has a diameter of 1.5 metres and is three metres wide at the end.

The woman had been in Malaysia for a two-month holiday and was scheduled to leave the country on Aug. 25.

Top screenshot via India Today/YouTube