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Thu, August 11, 2022 | 13:38
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Mysterious sinkholes appear across Seoul
국회의사당 앞 '의문의 싱크홀'…한 달 새 두 곳 발견
Posted : 2014-07-21 14:24
Updated : 2016-07-07 17:00
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A sinkhole found near the National Assembly on June 19 / Yonhap
A sinkhole found near the National Assembly on June 19 / Yonhap

By Jung Min-ho


Sinkholes have appeared across Seoul, raising safety concerns. Yet investigators are struggling to explain what exactly caused them.

After three sinkholes were found in Songpa, southern Seoul, where the Lotte World Tower is under construction, some others were found in other parts of the nation's capital.

The latest one yawned open Thursday in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido. The hole, about one meter wide and one meter deep, is only 2 meters away from another one, which was discovered last month.

The Yeongdeungpo Police Station immediately started an investigation as soon as the first one was found on June 19. However, what they have found so far is little.

"We do not know the cause yet," an officer from the police station told The Korea Times. "In cooperation with Seoul Metro and Seoul Metropolitan Government, we investigated the problem and only found that the holes have nothing to do with sewerage."

The officer said the investigators are now looking more into water supply facilities and communication pipelines.

Some part of a roadway near Jeungmi Station, western Seoul, also collapsed on June 17, creating a hole 1.5 meter wide and 1 meter deep. Officials from Gangseo Police Station are still trying to figure out what caused it.

A sinkhole refers to any hole in the ground created by erosion, drainage of water or human activity.

For the holes in Songpa, where the Lotte World Tower is being built, some experts believed that the construction is responsible for creating the sinkholes.

However, the explanation is not enough for those created in other parts of Seoul.

No major incidents caused by the holes have been reported.


국회의사당 앞 '의문의 싱크홀'…한 달 새 두 곳 발견

2차 조사에도 원인 못 밝혀…지하철, 상수·하수관 등 종합조사 예정

여의도 국회의사당 앞에서 의문의 싱크홀(sinkhole)이 잇따라 발견돼 서울시가 원인 규명에 나섰다.

발견된 싱크홀 아래에는 하수도, 상수도, 공동구가 복잡하게 매설되어 있고 그 밑으로는 지하철 9호선이 지나가고 있어 원인 규명이 쉽지는 않을 전망이다.

20일 서울시에 따르면 영등포구 국회의사당 정문 앞 국회대로에서 한 달 사이에 두 차례나 싱크홀이 발견됐다.

첫 번째 구덩이는 6월 19일 운전자 신고로 확인됐다. 구멍 난 아스팔트를 걷어보니 그 아래에서 가로 3m, 세로 3m, 높이 4m짜리 구덩이가 발견됐다.

영등포구와 강서도로사업소는 하수를 흘려보내는 콘크리트관인 하수박스 등 지하 구조물들을 조사했으나 별다른 문제점을 발견하지 못했다.

이들은 일단 도로를 임시로 복구하고 전자파를 투과해 지하 구조물의 형상을 파악하는 조사법인 GPR 탐사를 품질시험소에 의뢰했다.

그런데 한 달이 지난 17일 또다시 가로 1m, 세로 1m, 깊이 1.5m짜리 구덩이가 발견됐다. 첫 구덩이에서 약 2m 떨어진 지점이었다.

도심에서 나타나는 싱크홀은 파손된 상수관, 하수관, 빗물 연결관에서 흘러나온 물이 주변에 있던 흙과 함께 흘러가면서 발생하는 경우가 많다.

이를 고려해 영등포구는 싱크홀 주변에 있는 폭 1m, 깊이 1.4m짜리 하수관으로 들어가 누수가 있는지 살펴봤으나 이번에도 문제점을 발견하지 못했다.

2차에 걸친 현장 조사에서도 원인이 나오지 않자 서울시는 상수관, 공동구, 통신관로 등에 대해서도 조사를 벌이기로 했다.

싱크홀이 지하철 공사와 관련된 문제일 가능성도 배제하지 않고 공동조사 대상에 서울시메트로 9호선을 포함하기로 했다.

시는 각 부서 조사와 GPR 탐사 결과를 토대로 전문가 자문회의도 열 예정이다.

최근 제2롯데월드 공사장 주변에서 의문의 싱크홀이 잇따라 발견돼 시민의 불안감이 높아진 가운데 싱크홀을 발견했다는 제보가 잇따르고 있다.

17일 송파구 잠실운동장 인근 백제고분로에서는 시민 제보로 가로 0.3m, 세로 0.5m, 깊이 2m짜리 구덩이가 발견됐다.

동부도로사업소는 구덩이를 조사한 결과 주변 하수박스의 개구부가 썩은 합판으로 막혀 있었고, 이를 통해 물이 흘러나오면서 땅에 구멍이 팬 것으로 분석했다.

시 관계자는 '이런 사례는 처음으로 발견된 것으로 인근 도로에 같은 문제가 있는지는 현재 알 수 없다'며 '하수박스 규모 등에 대한 조사가 더 필요하다'고 말했다. (연합뉴스)
Emailmj6c2@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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