KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 25 — The sinkhole along Jalan Maharajalela here is caused by a burst underground pipe.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall Corporate Planning Department director Khairul Azmir Ahmad in a statement today said the repairs works of the burst pipe and the affected road had been completed by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd contractors.

“The situation has recovered at mid-day today and the affected car had been removed with the help of the police,” he said.

In the last night incident, a car driven by a woman fell into a three-metre square sinkhole at Jalan Maharajalela heading towards Jalan Loke Yew at about 11.35 pm.

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The 42-year-old victim was however unhurt.

Meanwhile, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia geologist Prof Madya Dr Tajul Anuar Jamaluddin said sedimentation could also occur when there were limestones under a surface.

“The natural characteristic of limestone which is soluble makes it easy to form underground or subsurface cavities.

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“When there are heavy loads on the surface, the cavities (empty spaces) will collapse and form a sinkhole. The size of the sinkhole depends on the size of the cavity itself,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

Tajul Anuar said other factors that could cause a sinkhole were changes in underground water levels and shocks or vibrations.

“Therefore, it would be best for the relevant agencies to conduct detailed geophysics studies prior to building physical infrastructure to identify the underground cavities,” he said. — Bernama