Large hole opens on road in Penang, forcing traffic closure

 Executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari says preliminary information points to a burst sewage pipe, but the cause has yet to be confirmed.

Barriers have been placed across the road at Lebuhraya Mayang Pasir in Bayan Baru, Penang, to prevent vehicles from entering the affected area. (Facebook pic)

GEORGE TOWN:

A large hole opened up along Lebuhraya Mayang Pasir in Bayan Baru this afternoon, forcing authorities to close the road to traffic.

Infrastructure, transport and digital committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said preliminary information from the public works department (JKR) suggested that an underground sewage pipe belonging to Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) might have burst, causing a section of the road to collapse.

Zairil told FMT that while the information had yet to be verified, the road was closed as a precaution while authorities assessed the situation.

Asked about the safety of houses near the collapsed section, he said JKR would monitor the area.

Pantai Jerejak assemblyman Fahmi Zainol said the incident occurred at about 3.10pm, leaving a hole measuring about 9m by 7m wide and about 2m deep.

Fahmi also said initial information pointed to an old and damaged IWK pipe as the possible cause.

Photographs of the spot show that a large section of the road had collapsed, resulting in a water-filled hole. Barriers have been placed across the road to prevent vehicles from entering the area.

In October 2024, another hole formed along Lebuh Bukit Kecil 3 in Pantai Jerejak after an underground IWK pipe burst. The incident left a school bus partly trapped in the collapsed section of the road.

FMT has reached out to IWK for comment. - FMT