Death toll in China road collapse climbs to 36

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) — The death toll has risen to 36 in southern China after part of an expressway collapsed in Guangdong province, sending at least 20 vehicles plunging down a hill, state-run media said on Thursday.

Some 30 people were also injured in the incident that occurred on Wednesday morning in the city of Meizhou, Beijing-based Xinhua News Agency reported.

All the injured were taken to the hospital and were in stable condition, said the report.

The collapse happened at around 2.10 a.m. local time (1810GMT Wednesday) on a section of the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway, according to the agency.

Aerial images showed that one side of the expressway had caved in, causing vehicles to roll down a slope.

The accident did not involve any large vehicles or vehicles transporting hazardous chemicals, the report said.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid