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By Mihar Dias (C) Copyright September 2024
When we think of dangerous infrastructure in a sprawling metropolis, Kuala Lumpur often makes headlines with its intermittent sinkholes.
Yet, it turns out that the ground beneath our feet is just as shaky in the glistening capital of South Korea, Seoul. Recently, a massive sinkhole, six meters wide and four meters long, devoured a car carrying an elderly couple, leaving both passengers severely injured—one fighting for her life.
For a city that prides itself on modernity and precision, such an incident is shocking, to say the least. Seoul may be known for K-pop idols, tech innovation, and gleaming skyscrapers, but this sudden hole in the ground serves as a stark reminder that even the most advanced cities aren’t immune to the perils of urban living.
But what’s really unsettling is how eerily familiar this all sounds. Just last week, a similar incident occurred in Kuala Lumpur, where an Indian tourist fell into a sinkhole on Jalan Masjid India, only to be swept away by underground waters. Despite ongoing search efforts, she remains missing. The horrifying reality is that these incidents aren’t confined to our local newsfeeds; they’re part of a global pattern of urban fragility.
In both Seoul and Kuala Lumpur, these sinkholes aren’t just random acts of geological mischief. They’re often the result of aging infrastructure, unchecked urban sprawl, and inadequate planning. Despite both cities' reputations for progress, beneath the surface lurks a crumbling foundation that has turned deadly.
Yet, what do we do? We patch the roads, cordon off areas, and issue apologies, but rarely do we confront the deeper issues. In Malaysia, authorities continue to search for the missing tourist, while another sinkhole ominously opened up in the same area. In Seoul, local officials scramble to determine the cause of this latest collapse and placate a rattled public.
The common thread between Kuala Lumpur and Seoul is not just that sinkholes have swallowed cars, people, and—most disturbingly—lives. It’s that these events expose the glaring gaps in urban management and the superficial nature of many of our “solutions.”
Perhaps the tragedy of it all is that such incidents aren’t confined to underdeveloped areas or crumbling towns. The sinkholes of Kuala Lumpur and Seoul are a reminder that no matter how polished the surface, cities everywhere are vulnerable to the forces beneath. And until we take a hard look at our infrastructure and urban planning, these incidents will continue to puncture the illusion of safety, one terrifying collapse at a time.
Mihar Dias is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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