Sinkhole Near JR Yokohama Station Continues to Expand, Stirring Infrastructure Concerns
On the morning of October 10, two days after a road collapse was first reported near JR Yokohama Station in Kanagawa Prefecture, officials confirmed that the sinkhole has continued to expand. Despite intensive around-the-clock recovery efforts, there is currently no timeline for when the area will be fully restored, and local traffic restrictions remain in place. The sinkhole was initially discovered on the 8th, measuring approximately 5 meters in diameter and 15 centimeters deep. However, a survey conducted on the morning of the 10th revealed that the collapse has grown significantly larger and deeper. Located in the immediate vicinity of a major transportation hub with heavy traffic flow, crews are currently performing emergency stabilization by pouring soil and sand into the cavity to prevent further expansion. While some experts have pointed to the influence of the nearby Katabira River or the possibility of a "heaving phenomenon"—where soil shifts due to shoring work at ...