Broken Water Pipe Causes 8-Meter-Wide Cave-In On Melaka Road

The road is fully closed until repair works are complete.

In Brief

Two lanes on Jalan Semabok-Bukit Katil, Melaka, were closed after land subsidence created a four-metre-deep, eight-metre-wide sunken area.
A damaged 600mm SAMB water pipe, broken during fibre optic HDD installation works by a third party, caused underground soil erosion leading to the subsidence.
SAMB is repairing the pipe, estimated at ten hours, while authorities monitor the site and redirect traffic for road user safety.

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Two lanes along Jalan Semabok-Bukit Katil bound for Semabok, Melaka, were closed off due to land subsidence that became a danger to road users.

Although it might look similar to a sinkhole, land subsidence is when soil or land gradually sinks over a large area, whereas a sinkhole is a sharp, sudden collapse into an underground void.

According to Berita Harian, the incident which occurred at 9am on Wednesday (17 June) involved a sunken area of about four meters, and width of eight meters at the FT264 Section 3.4 route, which compromised the structure of the road as well as traffic flow from Bukit Katil towards Semabok.

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A broken water pipe caused soil erosion which led to the subsidence

The Melaka Public Works Department (PWD) director, Mohamad Salzeli Moktar, said preliminary investigations found that the incident was caused by a Syarikat Air Melaka Berhad (SAMB) main pipe that was damaged due to fiber optic cable installation works which used the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method.

“The subsidence incident was caused by a 600 milimeter diameter SAMB pipe which broke due to HDD fibre optic work by a third party,” he said.

HDD is a construction method used to install underground pipes, cables, or conduits along a precise or predetermined path without disturbing the surface or disrupting traffic.

According to Mohamad Salzeli, the damaged water pipe caused underground soil erosion, which led to the subsidence. Continuous monitoring and temporary traffic redirection is being carried out at the location of the incident to ensure the safety of road users.

“SAMB is currently carrying out pipe repair works that is estimated to take about ten hours before the roads can be repaved,” he said while advising road users to be careful when they are in the affected area, and to obey the safety signs as well as plan alternative routes to avoid traffic congestions.

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Shahril Bahrom

Shahril Bahrom is a Malaysian digital journalist known for his work with The Rakyat Post and World Of Buzz, covering social issues, technology, pop culture, and viral online trends. His writing combines accessible storytelling with strong awareness of Malaysian internet culture, often focusing on topics that resonate across social media and public discourse. Known for a conversational yet informative style, he specialises in digital-first journalism, human-interest stories, and trend-driven reporting that bridges mainstream news with contemporary online conversations.