A section of a highway in southern China collapsed early Wednesday, causing multiple vehicles to fall and leaving at least 24 people dead. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. in Meizhou city, Guangdong province, after a 17.9-meter-long section of the highway gave way.
The collapse resulted in 18 cars falling down a slope. Heavy rains and flooding had been affecting parts of Guangdong province for the past two weeks, including Meizhou, which had experienced heavy rainfall in recent days.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud noise and seeing a large hole opening up behind them after driving past the section of the road just before it collapsed. Images and videos shared by local media showed smoke and fire at the scene, with highway rails slanting downward into the flames. A pile of charred cars was also visible on the slope below the highway.
The ground beneath the highway appeared to have caved in, along with the section of the road that had broken off. Rescue workers transported 30 people to the hospital, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The death toll rose to 24 by Wednesday afternoon, as reported by China's official Xinhua news agency.