Geological hazard investigation begins in Guangdong Province

Authorities in southern China’s Guangdong province have launched a comprehensive province-wide survey of geological hazards on highways, railways and waterways to eliminate hidden safety hazards, the provincial transportation authority said.

The highest priorities have been to strengthen inspections and monitoring of high-risk areas and sections of highways where heavy downpours have occurred in previous days, river banks, sections with soft ground, continuous steep descents of mountain roads, bridges and tunnels, sharp bends, steep and, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Guangdong provincial transportation department.

Meanwhile, the statement called on relevant departments and responsible officials and individuals to put in place effective and concrete measures to prevent and deal with possible geological hazards in the coming days as heavy rains continue to hit the southern province.

In addition, the department has deployed seven working groups to different parts of the province to guide and supervise the implementation of the work plan.

The statement was issued after 48 people were killed and another 30 injured when a section of highway collapsed early Wednesday morning in the provincial city of Meizhou.

Credit: China News photo.

In Zhuhai, local traffic police unilaterally closed a section of highway after they detected a landslide risk on a section of the highway connecting Zhuhai with Jiangmen, located in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

We will inform you separately about the date of resumption of traffic on the motorway section, the traffic police informed.

In the city of Zhongshan, where a red warning signal was issued for the storm on Saturday, authorities urged residents to limit going outside, although three of four crocodiles that escaped from a farm have been recovered and the other that escaped is being captured.

Since Saturday, many cities in Zhongshan have been flooded due to heavy rainfall. Since Saturday evening, the city’s fire department, which has received 211 reports of flooding and inundation, has dispatched 14 teams of 249 firefighters to help fight the flooding.

Meanwhile, 42 fire engines and 19 boats were dispatched to help deal with the flood disaster and evacuate a total of 462 residents.

The Guangdong provincial government ordered relevant cities and government departments to implement

effective measures to prevent and deal with possible geological hazards caused by heavy rains, including the collapse of highways and embankments along coastal areas, rivers and reservoirs; flood; mountain streams; mud and landslides in the coming days.