Sinkhole repair underway in Baghdad after truck accident

BAGHDAD, September 28 — Teams from the Baghdad Municipality have begun repairing a large sinkhole that recently appeared on a public road in the Al-Shaab district, nearly swallowing an oil tanker.

This is the second time in eight months that a sinkhole appeared in the exact spot. The new opening, which measures approximately three meters in diameter and is close to 1.5 meters deep, is causing significant traffic congestion on the road that connects Baghdad to Diyala governorate. Authorities have quickly identified the affected area and placed warning signs for drivers.

An official from Al-Shaab district said: “We have been working since the early hours to repair the sinkhole on the public road. Our engineering, technical, and administrative teams have put together a comprehensive plan. Heavy machinery has begun digging and searching for the fault in the sewer pipes, which was one of the reasons for the heavy water leakage beneath the street. The work is ongoing around the clock.”

“There have been official correspondences sent to the Baghdad Sewage Department, which has clarified and warned about recurrent sinkholes due to the aging sewer system located under the public road connecting to the northern governorates from the capital, Baghdad.”

Truck driver Mohammed Al-Husseini, commented: “Sinkholes occur in the same location from time to time, and we don’t see real solutions to address this issue. It causes us a lot of problems and inconveniences on public roads, especially in the Al-Shaab area, where traffic congestion sometimes requires an hour to cross.”