A section of a highway in southern China collapsed claiming the lives of at least 36 individuals. The incident occurred during torrential rain in Guangdong province.
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The disaster struck at approximately 2 am local time on Wednesday when a 59-foot-long section of the highway gave way due to rain.
Some describe a terrifying scene with around 23 vehicles plummeting into a pit created by the collapse. The toll stands at 36 lives lost with an additional 30 individuals sustaining injuries.
Rescue operations faced challenges including steady rain, soil movement, and the risk of collapse. Over 500 rescuers including firefighters and mine rescue experts were mobilized to the scene.
Utilizing advanced techniques such as grid-based searches, canine units, and life-detecting devices, teams worked to locate and extract victims trapped.
Reports show that over 56 centimeters of rain fell in the affected county over the past four weeks leading to risks of erosion, debris flows, and landslides.
Guangdong province home to 127 million people, has hit by flooding and infrastructure damage disrupting the lives of residents.
This catastrophe is weather-related disasters in the region including a tornado that claimed five lives in the provincial capital of Guangzhou.
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The human toll is beyond the immediate casualties with over 110,000 individuals forced to evacuate their homes during the onslaught of rain and flooding.
Emergency responders with over 500 personnel mobilized to the scene. Despite the conditions posed by rain and unstable terrain, rescue teams worked to locate survivors and retrieve vehicles buried under the rubble.
The collapse claimed the lives of at least 36 individuals while an additional 30 sustained injuries. Experts warn of the risk of similar disasters as the province braces for intensified rainfall throughout May.
Criticism has been leveled at China’s overseas projects under the Belt and Road Initiative where issues of design quality and construction standards has doubts about the country’s commitment to global infrastructure development.
China’s infrastructure projects including those under the Belt and Road Initiative have come under trouble during concerns over design flaws and poor quality.
Villages forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes while a tornado in the provincial capital of Guangzhou claimed the lives of five individuals.
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