TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an conducted on Monday (July 10) an inspection of the road repair work on the site of a 20-meter-long, 15-meter-wide, and 2.5-meter-deep giant massive sinkhole that appeared at the intersection of Nanjing Xi Road and Guiyang Street over the weekend.
Given the proximity to a residential area, Mayor Chiang said ensuring road safety for pedestrians is the top priority. He highlighted the efforts of the civil engineers association in overseeing the safety of buildings in the neighborhood.
Chiang explained that relevant units have "successfully implemented six manual monitoring systems and four automatic monitors, ensuring effective control over this aspect." He stated that monitoring will continue until no potential risks for residents are detected in the area.
Asked about the cause of the sinkhole, Chiang disclosed that authorities identified a damaged sewage pipe deep beneath the road as the culprit. Upon discovery, the broken pipe was promptly sealed.
"In addition, given that it is Monday morning, our focus is to minimize any impact on traffic flow. To achieve this, we have promptly closed the necessary road sections from Xining North Road to Huanhe North Road, with relevant units deployed on-site," Chiang added.
After completing the repairs, Chiang assured the public that the city government will comprehensively review the surrounding areas.
The Taipei Water Department acted swiftly by shutting off the water valve to prevent leaks. It also ceased supplying water to 108 households in the area and established temporary water supply stations for residents.
Authorities in Taipei had been working on filling a 1.5-meter-long, 1-meter-wide, and 1-meter-deep sinkhole that appeared on Saturday evening at the intersection of Nanjing Xi Road and Guiyang Street, which was ten times bigger earlier today. However, following the initial repair, the sinkhole reappeared early this morning.