China Vice Premier Urges Safety Measures After Deadly Highway Collapse
BEIJING (AP) — In response to a devastating highway collapse that claimed the lives of at least 48 people in China’s mountainous south, Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing has been deployed to oversee recovery efforts and reinforce the importance of implementing improved safety measures. The tragic incident, which occurred on the first day of the country’s five-day May Day holiday, has heightened concerns regarding a potential public backlash, further emphasizing the urgency of the government’s response.
Swift Response Efforts Emphasized by Premier and Vice Premier
Zhang Guoqing, who is also a member of the ruling Communist Party’s leading bodies, has underlined the significant need for expedited rescue and relief work. Prompted by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, who currently holds the position of the Communist Party’s No. 2 official, the government is eager to take immediate action to subdue public critiques. Consequently, public media coverage of the collapse has largely been restricted in an attempt to control the narrative surrounding the incident.
Collapse Details and Increased Vulnerability
The catastrophic collapse, which left a massive gash in the side of a cliff, was observed on a four-lane highway located in the city of Meizhou. Crippling heavy rains that had lasted for a month in Guangdong province weakened the foundation, causing a section of the highway to crumble around 2 a.m. on Wednesday. The wreckage resulted in 23 vehicles careening into a deep ravine, several of which caught fire and emitted thick smoke, compounding the tragedy.
Necessity of Strengthened Disaster Prevention and Response
During his visit, Vice Premier Zhang highlighted the importance of learning from this disaster and improving disaster prevention and response capabilities. Safeguarding the lives, property, and overall social stability of the population has become an imperative factor. Zhang urged for enhanced monitoring of weather patterns, particularly during the annual summer flooding season that indiscriminately affects vast areas of central and southern China. Additionally, he emphasized the development of improved early warning systems in order to mitigate potential future disasters and to facilitate swift response times.
Intensifying Weather Patterns and Ongoing Impact
Notably, the timing of the collapse coincided with a series of unusually extreme weather conditions. Prior to the incident, Guangdong province faced heavy rainfall, hailstorms, and a tornado, causing significant casualties and widespread damage. Predictions of continuous heavy rainfall in the region have resulted in multiple flight cancellations and delays. In the county where the highway collapse occurred, an astounding 56 centimeters (22 inches) of rain was recorded in the past four weeks, more than quadrupling that of the previous year. Meizhou, the affected city, was already inundated with flooding in early April, and the recent days have delivered additional rain.
Government Urgency to Prevent Similar Accidents
The Ministry of Emergency Management has encouraged a swift response from officials following the highway collapse tragedy. An urgent circular has been issued, urging the administration authorities to analyze the incident and implement tangible preventive measures to avert similar occurrences in the future.
Adverse Impact on May Day Holiday Travel
Considering the timing of the incident, during the bustling five-day May Day holiday when both domestic and international travel are on the rise, the disruption caused by the highway collapse has resulted in significant travel inconveniences and strained transportation systems.
