At least 36 people were killed and another 30 injured after a section of an expressway in China's Guangdong province collapsed, state media reported on Thursday.
The collapse, triggered by heavy rain, occurred at around 2:10 am on Wednesday on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway, Xinhua news agency reported, adding that the collapsed section was 17.9 meters in length and caused 23 vehicles to plunge.
Meizhou is one of the areas in southern China's Guangdong that has been badly hit by heavy rain and hail since late April which set off dangerous mudslides, inundated homes and destroyed bridges.
President Xi Jinping called for the utmost efforts to save lives and eliminate dangers as the rainy weather continued in the region, according to a Xinhua report.
Task forces from the central and local governments have been dispatched for the rescue work, the report added.
Israeli fire kills four in Gaza and the West Bank, medics say
Spain closes airspace to US planes involved in Iran war, El Pais says
UN peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon after projectile explosion
Iranian attack kills one in Kuwait, damages distillation plant
Iran accuses US of ground assault plans as Pakistan hosts regional talks
Heavy rain, floods kill 22 people in Afghanistan
Fugitive accused of killing two Australian police officers shot dead
Netanyahu orders expansion of security buffer zone in southern Lebanon
