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| Massive Sinkhole in Gangdong, Seoul |
📍 Location & Initial Incident Details
A large-scale sinkhole suddenly collapsed on a major road in Gangdong District, Seoul, on the evening of March 24, swallowing a motorcyclist and injuring another driver. The incident occurred across four lanes of traffic, causing widespread panic and disruption.
The sinkhole formed around 6:30 PM near the Daemyeong Elementary School intersection in Myeongil-dong, Gangdong District.
- A car narrowly escaped falling into the hole, but a motorcycle following behind was unable to stop in time and fell straight in.
- The sinkhole was initially estimated to be 20 meters deep and wide, affecting four out of six lanes of the road.
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| The sinkhole is around 20m wide and 20m deep |
🛑 Emergency Response & Road Closures
Authorities immediately blocked off the area and launched an overnight rescue mission.
- The situation was complicated by 2,000 tons of accumulated water and soil inside the sinkhole.
- A 40-year-old female driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.
💧 Suspected Cause: Water Pipe Burst & Nearby Subway Construction
Preliminary investigations suggest the sinkhole was caused by a water pipe rupture, which led to an underground leak.
- Concerned about further collapses, officials temporarily cut off electricity and water supply in the surrounding area.
- Authorities are also investigating whether the incident is linked to ongoing construction work on Seoul Subway Line 9, which is being expanded nearby. As a precaution, construction has been halted indefinitely.
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| A car narrowly escaped falling into the sinkhole |
🏠 Residents Express Fear Over Safety
Many locals, who use this road daily, are worried about further sinkholes.
Jung Soo-kyung, a resident near the site, shared:
"Hearing that someone was buried underground is terrifying. This is the road I take to work every day. If one part has collapsed, how can we be sure other areas are safe?"
🚧 Overnight Rescue Efforts & Expansion of the Sinkhole
Rescue teams worked throughout the night in hazardous conditions, as the hole continued to widen.
- By morning, teams had successfully pumped out 1,800 tons of water and soil using two large pumps.
- Rescue dogs, divers, and manual search efforts were deployed, but cracks appearing along the upper edges of the hole made the operation increasingly dangerous.
The sinkhole has now expanded to cover five lanes, up from the initial four-lane collapse.
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| Overnight rescue efforts of the rescue team |
💔 Tragic Discovery: Missing Motorcyclist Found Dead
After 17 hours of searching, firefighters recovered the body of the missing 30-year-old male motorcyclist at 11:22 AM on March 25.
- His body was found 50 meters from the center of the sinkhole and was pulled out at 12:36 PM.
- He showed no signs of breathing or consciousness.
Earlier in the search:
- At 1:37 AM, teams found his mobile phone.
- At 3:30 AM, they located his motorcycle 30 meters from the collapse site.
📚 Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
"서울 강동구 명일동 도로 한복판에 차로 4개 너비에 이르는 대형 땅꺼짐(싱크홀)이 발생해 오토바이 운전자가 추락하는 사고가 발생했다."
Key Vocabulary:
- 서울 강동구 명일동 (Seoul Gangdong-gu Myeongil-dong) = Myeongil-dong, Gangdong District, Seoul
- 도로 한복판 (doro hanbokpan) = middle of the road
- 차로 4개 너비 (charo netgae neobi) = width of four lanes
- 대형 땅꺼짐 (daehyeong ttang-kkeojim) = large ground collapse
- 싱크홀 (singkeuhol) = sinkhole
- 오토바이 운전자 (otobai unjeonja) = motorcycle rider
- 추락하다 (churakada) = to fall/plunge
- 사고가 발생하다 (sagoga balsaenghada) = an accident occurs
Translation:
"A large sinkhole (the width of four lanes) opened in the middle of the road in Myeongil-dong, Gangdong District, Seoul, causing a motorcycle rider to fall in."
Reference: 한거래 뉴스, 조선일보, 중앙일보,...
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