The number of victims of accidents in China, where a highway collapsed after heavy rains, rose to 36

The accident, which collapsed a 17.9-meter section of highway, occurred in Guangdong province at around 02:00 local time (20:00 CEST Tuesday), authorities in the city of Meizhou said earlier. 23 vehicles remained trapped in the sunken part of the road. None of the 30 injured are in danger, the Chinese government said.

The search work was complicated even during Thursday by the downpour and the risk of loosening more soil. Rescue teams are searching the place, dog handlers are on site. Excavators and cranes help with clearing.

A section of the highway between Meizhou City and Tapu County appears to have collapsed when the ground beneath it gave way. Witnesses told local media that they heard a loud noise and when they looked back, they saw a huge pit behind them. Videos and pictures from the scene of the accident showed fire and smoke, as well as a pile of blackened pieces of vehicles, the AP agency writes.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV said the collapse was a “natural disaster” caused “under the influence of persistent heavy rain”, according to AFP.

The province of Guangdong, which lies on the southeast coast of China, has been hit by record-breaking downpours and floods in the past two weeks. Last week, the 18 million-strong metropolis of Canton was hit by a tornado, which left five dead and over three dozen injured.