At least 24 people have died after a highway in China’s Guangdong province collapsed in the early hours of May 1, 2024.
According to Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency and The Paper, 30 other individuals are in the hospital, receiving treatment, and none are in critical condition.
The Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou, Guangdong collapsed at around 2:10am on May 1, resulting in 20 cars plunging down the slope where the highway was located. Aerial footage of the incident shared on social media shows a smoking pile of wrecked vehicles lying at the bottom of a muddy pit.
Chinese authorities have dispatched around 500 people to the site to help with the rescue operation. Part of the highway was closed in both directions and drivers have been advised to use alternative routes.
Guangdong has been hit with a series of deadly disasters in recent weeks, including heavy rains that have caused deadly floods and a tornado that ripped through Guangzhou, killing five people and injuring 33 others.
Details on what caused the highway collapse have not been reported.