Highway collapse in southern China kills at least 36 people

An aerial photo shows rescuers work at the site of a collapsed road section of the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou, south China’s Guangdong Province (Xinhua News Agency via AP)

A section of a highway collapsed after heavy rains in southern China, sending cars tumbling down a slope and leaving at least 36 people dead, authorities said.

The Meizhou city government said on Thursday that 23 vehicles have been found in a pit after a 17.9-metre (58.7-foot) long section of the highway gave way at about 2am on Wednesday. Thirty other people had injuries, none of them life-threatening, a government statement said.