Chinese people died when a bridge collapse

 

Tragedy struck in China's Guangdong province when a section of the Meilong expressway collapsed, resulting in the deaths of 24 people and injuring 30 others. The incident occurred on Wednesday at 02:10 local time (19:10 BST) after days of heavy rain in the region.

According to authorities, a 17.9m (58 feet) stretch of the highway crumbled, causing 20 vehicles to fall into the collapsed portion of the road. Footage taken shortly after the incident showed flames and black smoke billowing from below the highway, while another video carried by state media showed a smoking pile of charred cars partially covered in mud.

The provincial government has dispatched 500 emergency response personnel to the scene, and the 30 people in hospital are reportedly not currently at risk. The cause of the incident has yet to be stated by authorities.

This tragedy comes after Guangdong province was hit with flash floods last week, which killed four people and displaced 110,000 others. The floods also damaged dozens of houses, shut schools, and caused flight cancellations and delays, with estimated economic losses of 140.6m yuan ($19.4m; £15.5m).

The wild weather continued over the weekend, when a tornado ravaged a factory district in the provincial capital of Guangzhou, killing five people and wounding 33 others. Hailstones the size of golf balls were also seen raining down on the city.

The collapse of the Meilong expressway is a devastating incident that has resulted in significant loss of life and damage to property. The authorities are yet to determine the cause of the incident, but it is clear that the heavy rain and wild weather in the region have played a significant role.

The incident is a reminder of the importance of ensuring the safety and integrity of infrastructure, particularly in areas prone to extreme weather conditions. The authorities must conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to determine the cause and take necessary steps to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.

In the meantime, our thoughts are with the families of the victims and those affected by this tragedy. We wish a speedy recovery to those injured and hope that the authorities can provide the necessary support and assistance to those affected.