Sinkhole raises serious concerns over land stability and disaster preparedness
A Bolero pickup truck mysteriously sank into the ground in Gairigaun, Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, Makwanpur, on Friday afternoon—and remains missing even after two days of search operations. Authorities have now deployed the Armed Police Force to assist in the recovery.
The incident occurred on an inner dirt road between Wards 16 and 17. The vehicle, carrying a grass-cutting machine and registered as Na 4 Cha 4833, belonged to local resident Hariram Rai. As the ground beneath the road began to give way, the driver and co-driver attempted to pull the truck back using a rope—but to no avail.
In a video shared online, the two men are seen calling for help, while someone on the other end of the call suggests using a tractor to pull the truck out. However, the caller responds that the vehicle has already sunk entirely underground, making recovery with a tractor impossible.
A large crater has now formed at the site, filled with murky water, attracting significant public attention.
Unstable terrain raises alarms
The road where the truck disappeared is flanked by fishponds on both sides, and a nearby water borehole had been drilled by the truck owner to supply water to the ponds. Locals suspect the borehole may have weakened the ground, contributing to the sudden collapse.
Video footage also features someone claiming the truck was pulled into the borehole itself.
Oxen had also vanished here in the past
Locals say the area was once a swampy marshland. In fact, there are accounts of multiple oxen disappearing into the ground at the same location years ago.
Ramkrishna Koirala, chairperson of Ward 16, said, “I don’t remember the exact date, but elders in the community used to say that 7–8 plowing oxen were once swallowed by the marsh here. I myself remember one ox pair disappearing underground when I was younger.”
He added that the land had dried out in recent years, allowing for road construction about 6–7 years ago. “We believed the land was stable, but now the same road has swallowed a vehicle,” Koirala noted. He confirmed that the Armed Police Force had been called in to help with the search.
Local authorities scramble to respond
Bharat Raj Gautam, Chief Administrative Officer of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City, also recalled hearing about oxen disappearing at the site. “According to our municipal police, that area used to be a swamp with a well that was later filled in. Even two oxen went missing there, as per reports.”
He said the city is consulting with geologists to assess the situation, as the area falls within its jurisdiction. The Disaster Management Committee convened only two days after the truck went missing, with Mayor Mina Lama confirming the meeting was called to address the incident.
Geology department unaware of incident
Despite the gravity of the event, the Department of Mines and Geology has not received any formal report about the incident. Deputy Director General Monika Jha said she learned of it through the media.
“I saw the news yesterday, but we haven’t received any official communication or requests for support,” Jha said. She also noted that the department has been facing challenges due to the resignation of Director General Dinesh Nepali, which was recently approved by the Cabinet.
“At present, I’m handling only day-to-day operations based on seniority,” Jha added. “If we receive an official request, we will deploy a team of geologists to investigate the site.”
