Japan has once again proven to the world that its construction personnel are nothing short of miracle workers after Fukuoka authorities filled a massive sinkhole in just 48 hours.
Japan is no stranger to devastating earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Therefore, both the East Asian nation’s government and people are well-known around the globe for their awe-inspiring resilience in the face of extreme hardship. A recent incident in Fukuoka has once again put the country in the limelight as international netizens swoon over the speedy problem-solving skills of Japanese workers.
According to TODAY, the gaping sinkhole – measuring around 30 meters wide and 15 meters deep – appeared on a section of a main street in Fukuoka last Tuesday. Fortunately, nobody was hurt by the sudden crater, but business was suspended on the bustling street after local authorities banned access to every building in the area.
Japanese construction workers were immediately sent to the site, toiling continuously to fill in the hole with wet cement and sand while mending broken electricity, water and gas pipes. The street was reopened again exactly a week later, this Tuesday, as shown in the before and after photos above. The Guardian reports that the hole was all but filled in 48 hours, but city officials delayed the opening of the street just to ensure nothing was amiss.
The news source also reports that the collapse was caused by subway construction in the vicinity. Saigoneers, too, have experienced a taste of this inconvenience due to metro construction in the southern hub, though sinkholes have yet to be a problem and hopefully never will. Last month, however, subway construction workers damaged a water pipeline in downtown Saigon, causing a water shortage in parts of District 1, 2 and 3 for several hours.
[Photo via The Telegraph]
