GEORGE TOWN, Motorists along Persiaran Gurney faced a longer-than-usual morning commute today after a sinkhole opened in the thoroughfare.
It is believed to have occurred after a lorry ferrying a load of bricks went through the stretch of the road where a sewage pipe alignment project using the “jacking” pipe method had been carried out by the contractor of the Gurney Bay project.
State Local Government, Town and Country Development Committee chairman Jason H’ng Mooi Lye said the project contractor immediately moved the lorry involved and carried out dredging work for repairs.
“For your information, the dredging work carried out in Persiaran Gurney was an emergency caused by a sinkhole that occurred this morning.
“As a result of the incident, it is believed that there was a leak in the sewage pipe or an imperfect installation process during the repair work due to a similar incident before,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
H’ng said the situation is under control and safe. The repair work is exp
ected to be completed by tonight, and the lane will be reopened tomorrow.
Several photographs have gone viral showing the front tyre of a lorry carrying a load of bricks sunk into the one-metre-diameter sinkhole this morning.
It is understood that the incident happened at about 8 am, resulting in severe traffic congestion. One lane had to be closed to allow repair work to be carried out.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
