The incident occurred at around 2:10 am on Wednesday (1810 GMT Tuesday) on a stretch of road running from Meizhou city towards Dabu county.

Vehicles fell into a nearly 18-metre-long gash in the tarmac and plummeted down a steep slope.

Rescue work is ongoing.

Guangdong, an industrial powerhouse, has recently experienced a series of disasters attributed to extreme weather events.

Guangdong, China's most industrialized province, has been affected by unexpected heavy storms linked to climate change, resulting in numerous disasters and 48 reported deaths following a highway collapse.

China, the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter, aims to reach net-zero emissions by 2060.

The text reports that 48 people have been confirmed dead after a road collapsed due to heavy rain, and three more victims are undergoing DNA confirmation.

Thirty people were injured but are not in critical condition.

Footage shows excavators and a crane cleaning up the site, with charred vehicles being removed.

The incident is described as a "natural geological disaster" caused by persistent heavy rain.

The identities and status of the three victims in question are uncertain.