Death toll rises to 36 after road collapse in south China

The death toll from a highway collapse in southern China has risen to 36, state media said Thursday.

"As of 5:30 am on May 2… 36 people have died, and 30 people have been injured," state news agency Xinhua said, adding that the injuries were not life threatening.

State news agency Xinhua said that a stretch of road between Meizhou city and Dabu county in Guangdong province caved in around 2:10 am on Wednesday (1810 GMT Tuesday).

The incident caused over 20 vehicles to become trapped and involved a total of 54 people, according to Xinhua.

State media has said the collapse was a “natural geological disaster” caused by the “impact of persistent heavy rain”.

Guangdong, a densely populated industrial powerhouse, has been lashed by rainstorms in recent weeks, causing severe flooding and landslides in some areas.

The downpours have been much heavier than would normally be expected this time of year and have been linked to accelerating climate change.

In this regard, the country's state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday that President Xi Jinping called on officials to make every effort to rescue and treat the injured. At the same time, he asked to take timely action on the risks and hidden dangers.