A man who fell into a massive sinkhole in Seoul, South Korea, has been found dead, according to the local fire department.
The incident occurred in the Gangdong district on Monday evening at around 18:30 local time (09:30 GMT) when the road suddenly caved in.
The man, who was riding his motorbike at the time, was swallowed by the hole. Rescuers located his body underground on Tuesday morning at approximately 11:00 local time, about 50 metres (164 feet) from where he initially fell.
A car driver was also injured in the incident, which has since gone viral on South Korean social media. Dashcam footage widely shared online appears to capture the moment the road collapsed near a traffic junction. The video showed the motorcyclist plunging into the sinkhole while a car ahead narrowly escaped.
Authorities said the sinkhole measures 20 metres in width and depth. On Tuesday morning, rescuers retrieved a mobile phone and the motorcycle from within the hole. The victim, reported to be in his 30s, has yet to be publicly identified.
Kim Chang-seop, head of the Gangdong Fire Station, said earlier that “there were 2,000 tons of soil and water mixed inside the hole.” The cause of the sinkhole remains unknown, and authorities have yet to provide further details.
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A report recently submitted to the Seoul city government revealed that 223 sinkholes have occurred in the city over the past decade. These incidents have been attributed to poor infrastructure management, ageing or damaged pipes, long-term subsidence, and excavation-related accidents.
Sinkholes are a recurring issue in cities worldwide. In January, a truck driver in Japan went missing after his vehicle fell into a sinkhole at a junction in Yashio. Last August, authorities in Kuala Lumpur called off a search for a woman who disappeared into a pavement sinkhole in the city centre after a week.
Sinkholes can form naturally when rocks such as limestone or chalk erode over time, leading to a sudden collapse of the surface layer. However, human activities, including excavation work, can also accelerate their formation or trigger ground collapses.
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