2m Ground Sinkhole at Incheon Central Park... Cause Identified as Underground Water Pipe Leak

The cause of the ground subsidence (sinkhole) that occurred at Central Park in Songdo International City, Incheon, was confirmed to be a leak in the underground water supply pipe.

According to the Incheon Facilities Corporation on the 17th, the ground subsidence occurred at around 10:30 a.m. the previous day in Central Park, Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu. As the ground sank, a water puddle with a diameter of 1.5 to 2 meters formed.

Photo by Incheon Facilities Corporation

As the corporation investigated the cause of the accident, it was found that the connection point of the water supply pipe buried 3 meters underground ruptured, causing leakage and soil erosion. The water supply pipe in question is connected to public restrooms within Central Park.

A corporation official stated, "It seems that the screw connecting the pipes came off, causing the water to leak," and added, "Repair work on the water supply pipe and restoration work are currently underway."

Meanwhile, on the roads around Songdo 1 and 3 districts, water supply pipe leaks due to ruptures occurred three times from June until the 5th of this month. The Incheon city government is identifying the rupture as caused by complex factors such as soil salinity and is promoting repair and reinforcement work.