Japan workers fix massive sinkhole in just a week

Southwestern Japanese officials managed to restore traffic to central Fukuoka city on Tuesday (November 15) one week after a giant sinkhole devoured a five-lane intersection near the central station.

Traffic restrictions were lifted at 5 a.m. Tuesday (2000 GMT Monday) one day later than planned after restoration had been delayed due to bad weather earlier in the week.

This is amazing, Japan! Massive sinkhole in Fukuoka restored in a week. https://t.co/sSzFtHg16x via @MetroUK pic.twitter.com/j5yt5q5Lqh

— Gabriel De Angeles (@gabriel_gabdiel) November 15, 2016

Evacuation orders issued to three nearby commercial buildings were also lifted.

Workers have dumped about 7,000 cubic meters (247,000 cubic feet), or about 2,000 truck's worth, of soil containing cement into the sinkhole, which measured 30 meters (98 ft) long and 15 meters (49 ft) deep.

The city mayor apologised and blamed the nearby construction of a subway line extension for the sinkhole.

After the sinkhole was spotted early in the morning of November 8, officials immediately cordoned off the area to prevent anyone from falling into the sinkhole.

Officials and engineers battled against time as the sinkhole continued to fill up with sewage water and swallow nearby sidewalks from which commercial buildings stood only inches away.

"That we completed this operation without anyone being injured during the entire process is thanks to and could not have been done without the united will of private and public sectors and all the citizens of Fukuoka," Takashima said thanking everyone for their efforts.

The sinkhole has disrupted traffic in central Fukuoka, the 7th most populated city in Japan, and some nearby office buildings had been without power several days after it appeared.

Nearly 100 local establishments have reported loss of business during the operation, local media said, adding the municipal government has vowed to compensate them before the end of the year. —Reuters