Southern China Crisis: Heavy Rains Cause Highway Collapse

Disaster Kills At Least 36

A segment of a highway in southern China crumbled due to intense rainfall, causing cars to plummet down a slope. As a result, authorities reported at least 36 fatalities on Thursday.

According to a statement from the Meizhou city government, a total of 23 vehicles were discovered in a pit following the collapse of a 17.9-meter section of the highway around 2 am on Wednesday. The statement also mentioned that thirty individuals sustained injuries from the incident, thankfully none of which were life-threatening.

Guangdong province has experienced unprecedented rainfall and flooding over the past two weeks, along with occurrences of hail. In Guangzhou, the provincial capital, a tornado claimed the lives of five individuals last weekend.

In early April, certain villages in Meizhou were inundated by floods, and the city has been experiencing heavy rainfall in recent days as well.

Witnesses recounted hearing a loud noise and observing a wide hole opening up behind them after driving past the section of the highway just before it collapsed. The ground beneath the highway seemed to have caved in, causing the section of the road above it to collapse as well.

Images and videos shared in local media depicted smoke and flames at the scene, with highway guardrails tilting into the fire. A cluster of charred vehicles was visible on the slope descending from the highway.