Kuala lumpur: An initial report from the Public Works Department (JKR) has confirmed that a collapsed culvert was likely the cause of the sinkhole that appeared on the fast lane of Federal Route FT033, Section 22.0, Lebuh Sungai Udang-Paya Rumput-Ayer Keroh (Lebuh SPA), heading towards Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) last night. Works Minister, Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, announced that further investigation would be carried out before any repair work begins in the affected area.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nanta emphasized the need to examine the culvert structure along this road and indicated the possibility of similar issues on the opposite side of the road. He made these comments after inspecting the sinkhole today, accompanied by State Works, Infrastructure, Public Amenities, and Transport Committee chairman Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer.
The sinkhole was discovered at 11.18 pm last night and measured approximately 10 meters in length and 5 meters in width. Fortunately, there were no reports of accidents involving road users.
In a separate update, Nanta revealed that 145 road locations across the country had been affected by disasters, comprising 63 federal roads and 82 state roads. The disasters included 82 locations impacted by flooding, 32 by flash floods, 16 by landslides, nine by road collapses, five by road subsidence, and one by a damaged or collapsed bridge.
Meanwhile, the Works Ministry (KKR) issued a statement confirming that the sinkhole on Lebuh SPA resulted from the failure of a culvert structure measuring 1.8 meters by 1.8 meters, extending 40 meters in length, and located at a depth of 10 to 11 meters. This failure caused the subsidence of the road surface above.
To ensure safety, immediate mitigation measures have been implemented, including the installation of warning signs, traffic diversions, and the closure of the fast lane for 300 meters in both directions. For permanent repairs, the plan includes excavating an area measuring 10 meters by 5 meters to a depth of 10 meters and installing a temporary sheet pile to identify the affected culvert structure. The damaged concrete culvert will be replaced, the soil backfilled and compacted, and the road structures and furnishings repaired.
The repair work is expected to take approximately two months, depending on soil conditions and weather. The estimated cost for these repairs is around RM2.5 million, with a more detailed breakdown to be provided after forensic investigations by JKR Malaysia are completed, according to the statement.