On April 16, 2024, the UPRI was invited to speak on Teleradyo Serbisyo regarding the formation of a sinkhole along Sales Road in Pasay City. The sinkhole opened up in the middle of the road on the morning of the previous Sunday, April 14, 2024. The cause of the sinkhole was assessed by a water utility company and was believed to be a ruptured pipe leaking water. The cause of the rupture was not yet made public, but the pipe in question was already repaired. UPRI Executive Director Dr. Mahar Lagmay was brought in to weigh in on the geology of the sinkhole. A sinkhole is formed when water, such as from rain, permeates the underlying rock and dissolves it. Over time, the dissolved rock forms a void, which slowly widens until a hole is formed that collapses the surface. In the case of the Sales Road sinkhole, the ruptured pipe caused the same effect as rain in this instance, and the leaking water eroded the underlying earth beneath the road. Other possible forms of engineering-based intervention and prevention could be implemented in the future to prevent heavy vehicles such as 18-wheeler trucks from potentially damaging the pipes when driving over a road or taking into account potential dried riverbeds or creeks that could cause higher water retention than anticipated.
Screenshot of the uploaded Youtube video from Teleradyo Serbisyo’s Youtube Channel