30m-wide sinkhole in Hiroshima causes roads to cave in, buildings to lean

A 30m-wide and 1m-deep sinkhole appeared in Hiroshima, Japan at around 8:50am (7:50am Singapore time) on Sep. 26.

Authorities there said the hole had led to a section of the road caving in and several buildings in the area to lean.

According to The Japan News, police received an emergency call reporting that a bulge had developed on part of a road in the city's Nishi Ward.

An underground water pipe is believed to have burst, leading to several people trapped in buildings as the road caved in.

The city fire department said all were rescued.

Cracks were also said to have formed in some of the buildings, according to NHK.

All residents within a 50m radius of the affected intersection were evacuated by 11:30am.

Sinkholes appear in various countries

This sinkhole is the most recent one reported around the world this year.

Just a day prior, a 5.4m wide sinkhole opened up in Kuala Lumpur, near the entrance of the Bunga Raya Complex for VIP passengers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

On Aug. 23, a 48-year-old Indian woman fell into a sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur.

The search for her body was called off after nine days, due to safety concerns.

On Aug. 29, a sinkhole appeared in the middle of a road in Seoul, causing a car to fall in, leaving two seniors seriously injured.

On Aug. 31, another sinkhole emerged in Douliu, Taiwan.

Top image via NHK and Chugoku Shimbun