The death toll from a highway collapse in southern China has climbed to 36, with 30 more injured, as emergency responders work to rescue victims and recover vehicles. The tragic incident occurred on the S12 highway between Meizhou city and Dabu county during the early hours of Wednesday, coinciding with the start of China’s major May holiday period, a peak travel time.
State news agency Xinhua confirmed the fatalities and reported that the injuries sustained are not life-threatening. Aerial images from the scene depict a significant portion of the highway giving way under a mudslide, likely triggered by persistent heavy rainfall, according to state broadcaster CCTV, which described the event as a “natural geological disaster.”
Rescue operations have intensified, with approximately 500 personnel, including firefighters and mine rescue experts, mobilized to the site. Efforts to extract vehicles buried in the debris are underway, with heavy machinery like cranes and excavators employed, alongside search dogs and life-detection technology.
The continuous rainfall, coupled with unstable soil and gravel at the site, has complicated the rescue efforts, posing additional risks to the teams on the ground. This incident adds to a series of recent extreme weather events in Guangdong province, including last month’s severe floods and a tornado in Guangzhou, which have been attributed to the effects of climate change.
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