BEIJING [China] At least 24 people were killed when part of an expressway collapsed in southern China's Guangdong province on Wednesday, Xinhua reported, with initial reports putting the death toll in the highway collapse at 19. happened. A 17.9-meter (58.7-foot) section of the S1 highway between Meizhou city and Dabu county collapsed at 2:10 a.m. Wednesday (18:10 GMT Tuesday), trapping dozens of people in 18 vehicles, according to the state broadcaster. People have been confirmed dead, and 30 people are being sent to hospital for emergency care", Al Jazeera reported, citing CCTV. According to officials, those who were taken were "in danger at the moment was not. Online video shared by local news outlets showed flames and smoke billowing from a deep crater into which cars appeared to have fallen. The state broadcaster said the Guangdong provincial government had dispatched a rescue team for about 500 people, adding that rescue efforts were still ongoing, according to updates from local police departments in southern China. The bombings have been accompanied by heavy rain in recent weeks. Guangdong province, an economic hub of 127 million people, has suffered massive flooding, forcing more than 110,000 people to relocate, state media reported, citing the local government.