Yakang Expressway Bridge Collapse ** Notice

At around 19:00 on August 4

The reporter learned from the Kangding City "8·03" Flash Flood

Disaster Response and Disposal Command

In the early morning of August 3

G4218 Ya'an-Yecheng Expressway (Ya'an-Kangding Section, within Kangding)

A flash flood and debris flow disaster suddenly occurred at the K120+200m section

Causing the connecting bridge between two tunnels to collapse

Two-way traffic on the road was interrupted

As of 14:30 on the 4th, 4 vehicles with a total of 11 people had fallen under the bridge, of whom 1 person was successfully rescued and sent to hospital for treatment, 2 died, and 8 remain missing. The disaster also caused 6 deaths and 11 missing persons in Ridi Village, Guzan Town, Kangding City, near the bridge.

After all-out emergency repairs, all 7 damaged base stations have been restored; 15.4 kilometers of damaged optical cable have been restored, with 8.6 kilometers not yet restored. Communications in the disaster-affected area are not significantly affected, and the public communications network is operating smoothly.

The command introduced that a total of 1,554 personnel, 311 vehicles and sets of engineering equipment, 68 sets of communications equipment, more than 1,500 pieces of rescue equipment, 8 search-and-rescue dogs, 1 AW-109 light helicopter, and 1 Wing Loong II large drone were dispatched to carry out all-out search and rescue of people, medical treatment, and support work for transportation, power, and communications.

More than 30 medical workers were dispatched by the province, prefecture, and county (city), and a total of 16 injured people were treated (none in life-threatening condition, of whom 4 have been discharged after treatment). Symptom monitoring was carried out for 281 people, with no abnormalities.

In accordance with the principles of "scientific diversion, nearby transfer, and proper resettlement," 939 people were transferred in an orderly manner and resettled by moving into centralized resettlement sites, staying with relatives or friends, and other methods. Four public resettlement sites have been set up, namely Langgu Village, Xiawasi Lithium Mine, Second Community, and Kangding No. 1 Middle School, housing 431 affected people. At present, services such as water supply, power supply, accommodation, and meals at the four resettlement sites have all been properly arranged.

A "one-on-one" aftercare and consolation work mechanism was established by the four leading bodies of Kangding City, and plans for the disposal of the victims' remains and for receiving and comforting the families were actively formulated, with family members' opinions and demands listened to patiently and meticulously.

Control measures were implemented on the relevant road sections, while detour route plans were formulated and announcements were promptly issued to the public. Emergency suspension measures were immediately taken for operating vehicles passing through the Kang-Lu section, and geological disaster information and warnings were issued point to point. For those that cannot be remediated for the time being or cannot be ensured safe after disposal, warning signs have been set up one by one and safety sentinels strengthened to ensure that risks are controllable and traffic is safe.

Focusing on areas vulnerable to threats from natural disasters such as debris flows, flash floods, and landslides, including high-fill and deep-cut roadbeds, areas near water and cliffs, low-lying areas, and tunnels and bridges, major disaster risk hazard screening was carried out with particular focus on areas prone to earthquakes and disasters in past years, so as to eliminate safety hazards in a timely manner.