2024 Meizhou expressway collapse

On the morning of 1 May 2024, an expressway in Meizhou, China, collapsed, killing 48 people and injuring thirty others.

The Meilong Expressway Collapse was a catastrophic event that occurred on May 1, 2024, at approximately 2:10 a.m. local time. The incident took place at the Meilong Expressway (Meidagao Section) in the direction of Fujian, approximately 900 meters from K11 in Cha'yang Town, Dabu County, Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, China.

Road Section
The Meilong Expressway is a highway connecting Meijiang District with Dabu County in Meizhou City, Guangdong Province. The section where the accident occurred is part of the second phase and the eastern extension line of the Meilong Expressway, which opened to traffic on December 31, 2014. Both the project construction and operation are managed by companies under the Guangdong Communications Group. The operational management company, Guangdong Dachao Expressway Co., Ltd., has been involved in multiple contractual disputes.

On April 1, 2023, the Meilong Expressway experienced a collapse due to heavy rain, resulting in the interruption of traffic in both directions. There were no casualties, and the full line was restored to traffic by 24:00 on May 9.

Weather
Prior to the accident, Guangdong had been experiencing heavy rainfall. On that day, many areas of Guangdong issued meteorological disaster warnings. As of 8:19 a.m. on May 1, there were 41 rainstorm warnings, 48 thunderstorm and gale warnings, and 5 orange hail warnings in effect province-wide.

In April, Meizhou experienced multiple rounds of heavy rainfall, surpassing historical records. From April 1 to April 30, Dabu County received 628.2 millimeters of rainfall, which was 2.75 times higher than the average of 228.4 millimeters. Meteorological monitoring showed that from 8:00 a.m. on April 30 to 8:00 a.m. on May 1, Dabu County experienced heavy rain, with an average rainfall of 48.9 millimeters and a maximum of 66.1 millimeters.

A notice from the Guangdong Provincial Department of Transportation on April 30 stated that due to continuous heavy rainfall, some highways and national and provincial roads in Guangdong were damaged.

Casualties
The collapsed section of the road was approximately 17.9 meters long with an area of approximately 184.3 square meters.

As of 2:00 p.m. on May 2, 23 vehicles were found trapped, resulting in 48 deaths and 30 injuries. Most vehicles were buried in mud, and some vehicles caught fire. Of the 30 injured, most suffered from bone injuries, head trauma, and lung contusions. Twenty-eight were treated at Meizhou People's Hospital, and two were hospitalized at Dabu County People's Hospital.

Cause
The specific cause is under investigation, with preliminary speculation suggesting that it may be related to geological structure, water erosion, construction quality, and other factors.

Response
On May 1, the Guangdong Provincial and Meizhou Municipal governments established a command headquarters for the accident rescue operation. More than 500 personnel from the public security, emergency response, fire, health, transportation, and mine rescue teams were mobilized for on-site rescue. Huang Kunming, Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary of Guangdong Province, made instructions and arrangements, convening two video dispatch meetings. Wang Weizhong, Governor of Guangdong Province, rushed to the disaster site to direct on-site emergency response work.

On May 2, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping, issued "important instructions," urging all-out efforts to rescue the injured, promptly identify and dispose of hidden risks, ensure the safety of people's lives and property, and maintain social stability. Premier of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang, made instructions. The Ministry of Emergency Management and the Ministry of Transport dispatched working groups to the scene to guide rescue work.

The Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management organized joint consultations with the China Meteorological Administration, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Transport to study and deploy flood and disaster relief work in key areas such as South China, Jiangnan, and Northeast China during the May Day holiday. The Office of the State Council's Security Committee issued an urgent notice, deploying current safety precautions and resolutely preventing major accidents and disasters.