A chemical reaction and unstable soil caused the sinkhole that opened up on Jalan Masjid India last August — not limestone formations beneath the ground, as many had feared.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr. Zaliha Mustafa revealed that a special investigation team led by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) found that the main cause was the failure of an aging and corroded sewer pipe structure, which led to the formation of an underground cavity beneath the pedestrian walkway.
“The site of the incident sits on the Kenny Hills Formation, underlain by schist rock, while limestone layers are found only at depths of 60 to 70 meters. Therefore, the incident cannot be directly linked to limestone formations,” Dr. Zaliha said during a parliamentary session today.
The August 23, 2024 tragedy claimed the life of an Indian national, G. Vijaya Lakshmi, from Andhra Pradesh, who fell into the eight-meter-deep sinkhole and went missing.
Dr. Zaliha added that the full investigation report was presented to the Cabinet on August 20 this year, and DBKL will release a public version by year-end to explain the findings in detail.
DBKL is also conducting geotechnical studies across key roads in Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle using advanced technologies such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), LiDAR, and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to analyze soil stability.
“Preliminary findings show no high-risk areas for sinkholes. These studies are crucial to ensure infrastructure safety in the city center, especially ahead of the ASEAN Summit 2025,” she said.
Following lessons from the incident, Dr. Zaliha announced that the government is forming a stronger Emergency Response Team (ERT) to ensure swift and effective action should a similar event occur in the future.
