Death toll rises to 24 in China road collapse

GUANGDONG: At least 24 people were killed and 30 injured when a section of a road collapsed in the Guangdong province of China on Wednesday.

According to reports, the hazardous conditions of the road in China has already led to a string of accidents in the past. Multiple incidents of vehicular accidents and injured people were reported in past few months.

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According to reports from Chinese news outlet CCTV, the road collapse occurred around 2:10 am local time. The road collapse affected a stretch of road between Meizhou city and Dabu county. The collapse trapped eighteen vehicles and involved approximately 50 people.

Local authorities responded by mobilising around 500 personnel to assist in the rescue operation. Emergency vehicles and cranes were deployed to the accident site, and part of the highway was closed in both directions as a precautionary measure to ensure public safety.

Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture with around 20 vehicles plunging in the aftermath of the collapse. Videos circulating on social media depicted smoke rising from the deep pit where cars had plunged.

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The deteriorating condition of the road has been attributed to heavy rains over the past few weeks, which had weakened its structural integrity.

Chinese state news agency Xinhua provided further details. It stated that the collapse was a direct result of heavy rainfall that has plagued Guangdong in recent weeks. The heavier-than-usual rainfall had already led to widespread flooding and landslides in the region.