Xi directs rescue operation, safety overhaul following fatal road collapse in south China

BEIJING, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has given important instructions on the rescue and disaster relief work after a fatal expressway collapse in south China's Guangdong Province.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attached great importance to the disaster, instructing that every effort be carried out for on-site rescue, treatment of the injured, and properly handling the aftermath.

At about 2:10 a.m. on May 1, a landslide occurred in the Chayang section of the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou City, Guangdong Province. As of 3:30 p.m. on May 2, the disaster had caused 48 deaths and 30 injuries.

Efforts should be made to repair the damaged roads and restore traffic order as soon as possible, said Xi, adding that all regions and relevant departments must adhere to bottom-line thinking, consolidate work responsibilities, strengthen monitoring and early warning, improve emergency plans, promptly investigate and deal with potential risks in key areas and key sectors, and ensure the safety of people's lives and property and the overall social stability.

Li Qiang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and premier of the State Council, has given instructions to spare no effort in rescuing the injured, carry out follow-up work, do everything possible to search and rescue trapped persons, and strictly guard against secondary risks.

Li emphasized that the ongoing May Day holiday is the peak of tourism prime time, accompanied by widespread rainfall in some areas, necessitating all-out efforts to prevent accidents and disasters.

Following Xi Jinping's instructions and Li Qiang's request, Zhang Guoqing, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, led officials in charge of relevant departments to the scene to guide the rescue and disaster relief work.