This photo taken on May 1, 2024 shows the site of an expressway collapse accident on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong Province. Photo: Xinhua

The death toll has risen to 48 after part of an expressway collapsed in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong Province, on early Wednesday morning, and the DNA of another three people are yet to be identified, according to a press conference held by local Meizhou authorities on Thursday.

As of 2pm on Thursday, it has been determined that the disaster caused 23 vehicles to collapse into a sunken area of road, with 78 drivers and passengers have been confirmed after search and rescue efforts. 

Thirty injured are receiving treatment in hospital, and none are in life-threatening condition. No foreigners have been found among the casualties, Meizhou city Mayor Wang Hui told a press conference.

Several vehicles were buried under mud following the incident, making it impossible to immediately locate the trapped vehicles and individuals, according to Wen Yongdeng, the Communist Party secretary for the Meizhou emergency management bureau, at the press conference.

The acciden happened occurred around 2:10 am on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou. The collapsed section measures 17.9 meters long and covers an area of 184.3 square meters, officials confirmed. 

Aerial photos show one side of the expressway had caved in, causing vehicles to roll down a slope.

The disaster-stricken landslide area is narrow and elongated, with the majority of the collapsed vehicles concentrated near the landslide zone. Due to the heavy rainfall over recent days, the soil at the site is loose, making it difficult for large-scale rescue equipment to access the core rescue area, said Wen.

According to Wen, several vehicles caught on fire, adding to the complexity of the rescue efforts. Most of the vehicles were buried under a considerable depth of mud during the collapse. Prolonged heavy rainfall has led to a high saturation level of the soil at the rescue site, increasing the likelihood of secondary disasters during the rescue operation.

Data shared at the press conference showed that, since April, Meizhou has experienced multiple heavy rainfall events, with the city's average cumulative rainfall reaching 621.7 millimeters, 2.49 times more than the same period in a typical year. This surpasses the historical record for April rainfall since meteorological records began in 1980.

The rescue and aftermath work continues. At the rescue site, there are 577 rescue personnel and 84 mechanical units had been leading the rescue effort, including forces from public security, firefighting, emergency response, and healthcare sectors.