Hong Kong taxi plunges into sinkhole
Fortunately, the driver and passenger escaped the vehicle in time.
At around 12.32am, a taxi was traveling eastbound toward Mong Kok on Lai Chi Kok Road when an underground water pipe burst, which led to suspected road subsidence.
The taxi became trapped in the sinkhole, which continued to widen as water flowed out and flooded all three lanes of the road.
By around 1.50am, the taxi was completely submerged in a hole that reached depths of five to six meters, filled with water, sand and mud. Officers from the Water Supplies Department said they managed to isolate the burst mains at 5am.
The sinkhole was as large as a swimming pool, with the taxi floating upside down, it said.
The taxi driver, Siu, said he was taking his passenger to Kwun Tong and was driving in the left lane when he noticed the flooded road ahead.
"I immediately attempted to change lanes," Siu said. "But a bus was approaching quickly, so I had to slow down and stop. Then I heard a loud bang, and my whole vehicle tilted to the left.
"I tried to push hard on the throttle to escape, but it was futile. The water had already reached my ankles, so the passenger and I quickly left the vehicle."
Siu said the water level continued to rise, adding: "I have never encountered anything like this in two decades of driving a cab."
When asked if he was worried about his safety, he replied: "I am more concerned about my two phones that are still in the vehicle."
The male passenger emerged unscathed, but Siu reported feeling dizzy and weak in his limbs. He was taken to Caritas Medical Center in Sham Shui Po for treatment.
The drenched taxi was lifted with a crane around 10am, covered in mud and sand, and suffered significant damage to its front and side. The road was closed for repairs yesterday, leading to the diversion of 12 bus routes and causing severe traffic congestion in Mei Foo.
The road was reopened at 6am today.
Reader Comments
to our Newsletter