Man swallowed by Seoul sinkhole found dead

A man fell into a large sinkhole in Seoul, South Korea. The local fire department confirmed he has been found dead.

The incident occurred around 18:30 local time on Monday. The man was riding his motorbike in the Gangdong district when the road caved in.

Rescuers discovered his body on Tuesday morning at 11:00. He was about 50 meters (164 feet) from where he fell.

A car driver was also injured during this incident. The event has gone viral on South Korean social media.

Dashcam footage shows the moment the road collapsed near a traffic junction. It captures the motorcyclist falling into the hole while a car narrowly escapes.

Earlier that day, rescuers found a mobile phone and motorcycle in the sinkhole. Local media reported that it is 20 meters wide and deep.

The man, believed to be in his 30s, has not been named yet. Kim Chang-seop, head of Gangdong fire station, stated there were 2,000 tons of soil and water inside the hole.

Authorities have not disclosed the cause of the sinkhole yet. A recent report showed that Seoul experienced 223 sinkholes over the past decade.

These incidents were linked to poor infrastructure management and damaged pipes. Long-term subsidence and excavation work accidents also contributed to these sinkholes.

In January, a truck driver went missing after falling into a sinkhole in Yashio, Japan. Last August, search efforts for a woman who disappeared into a pavement sinkhole in Kuala Lumpur ended after a week.

Sinkholes often form when rocks like limestone or chalk break down. This process can happen gradually or suddenly without warning signs at the surface.

Sometimes limestone sits beneath another rock layer. When it dissolves, this can lead to sudden collapses known as collapse sinkholes.

Human activities like excavation can speed up sinkhole formation or cause ground collapse as well.