Tragedy Strikes Guangdong. Highway Collapse Claims 48 Lives

In the province of Guangdong, located in the southern region of China, a tragic event unfolded as a highway collapsed, leading to numerous fatalities.

A portion of the highway near Meizhou city gave way on Wednesday, May 1st, during the early morning hours, Eastern Time. In the aftermath of the rescue operation, it was revealed that 23 vehicles were engulfed by a vast sinkhole.

On the morning of May 1st, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that 49 people were caught up in the disaster, with 19 initially confirmed dead. Regrettably, this number increased as time went on.

The following morning, on May 2nd, it was disclosed that the death toll from the collapsed highway section had climbed to 36. Latest reports now indicate that 48 individuals have lost their lives. Additionally, 30 individuals sustained injuries, but according to reports from the Xinjingbao portal, they are not in life-threatening conditions.

Images showing the massive sinkhole and the ongoing rescue operations were shared across social media, including the X service. The challenging terrain and the concentrated area of the accident have made the rescue efforts particularly arduous. To further complicate matters, a fire erupted at the site, further hindering rescue operations.

In the past few weeks, Guangdong province has been battered by a spate of extreme weather events, ranging from significant floods to devastating tornadoes. Record levels of rainfall and hailstorms have also been reported. Some villages near Meizhou were inundated in April, and the area has experienced severe rains again in recent days. At least four fatalities, including one rescuer, have been attributed to the floods in Guangdong province, and at least ten people are currently missing.