A man wades across a flooded road after heavy rain in the Xiangzhou district of Zhuhai, Guangdong province, on Saturday. ZHONG FAN/FOR CHINA DAILY
Following a highway collapse in the city of Meizhou on Wednesday that killed 48 people and injured 30 others, Guangdong province has launched a multipronged response to ensure the safety of residents and travelers during the May Day holiday's peak return travel period.
A special task force headed by Governor Wang Weizhong was established on Saturday to investigate the cause of the collapse and provide support to the injured.
Meanwhile, torrential rain that battered the southern province over the weekend has begun to ease, but concerns remain due to the potential for secondary disasters caused by saturated soil.
The Department of Natural Resources warned of a heightened risk of landslides and flooding as a result of the sustained downpours. A province-wide inspection focusing on areas with high geological risk factors, such as mountains, slopes and cliffs, was launched on Saturday.
The Department of Transport has undertaken a similar inspection of highways, railways and waterways since Thursday. Seven working groups from the provincial transport authority were deployed to guide and supervise the inspection process.
As regions across China experience peak traffic flows during the holiday return period, authorities are urging travelers to prioritize safety, particularly on rainy days.
"Heavy rainfall can make roads slippery, increasing vehicle braking distance and the risk of losing control," cautioned Feng Lei, a senior engineer from the Public Meteorological Service Center.
She advised people to pay close attention to the potential impact of secondary disasters like landslides and highway collapses on driving safety, especially in areas previously hit by heavy rain.
Torrential rain lashed multiple cities in Guangdong over the weekend, with Zhongshan and Zhuhai hit the hardest.
In Zhuhai, traffic police closed off a section of highway linking the city to Jiangmen after detecting a landslide safety risk.
Multiple towns in Zhongshan have reported flooding since Saturday. By Saturday night, 42 fire trucks and 19 boats had been sent to help and evacuate 462 residents.
One resident, Lin Liting, said the downpour was so heavy that many people did not dare go out to shop for groceries on Saturday.
"My cousin, who drove to Zhongshan for sightseeing the previous day, had to start his journey back one day earlier due to the downpour," she said.
