HOKKAIDO: At an excavation site of a Hokkaido Shinkansen tunnel in Otaru, Hokkaido, a section of the ceiling has collapsed, causing soil and debris to pour in.
Workers found the collapse of the Sasson Tunnel located about 200m underground in a forested area of Otaru, Hokkaido, at about 7pm (6pm, Singapore time) on April 6.
There were no injuries to workers or damage to heavy machinery.
The Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency, which is overseeing the project, has suspended excavation work and is investigating the cause.
At the construction site, workers were removing excavated soil from the tunnel.
There is a possibility that the ground near the site has subsided, so authorities plan to conduct an aerial survey using drones.
There is currently no timeline for resuming construction.
Construction is underway to extend the Hokkaido Shinkansen from Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto in Hokuto, Hokkaido, to Sapporo. The Sasson Tunnel is part of the extension. - The Japan News/ANN
