Society

Nine dead, dozens injured in fog-triggered pileups in China

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-18 22:22

BEIJING: Thick fog triggered expressway pileups in different parts of China Monday, leaving nine people dead and dozens injured, local traffic authorities said.

Several chain collisions involving more than 50 vehicles killed six people and injured 17 others early Monday morning on an expressway near Anqing City, east China's Anhui Province, said Wang Ge, deputy head of the provincial traffic police corps.A 13-car pileup killed three people and injured nine others at about 9 a.m. on an expressway near Chenzhou City, central Hunan Province, where heavy fog reduced the visibility to only 30 meters.

The accident led to the closure of the expressway for four hours, the provincial traffic authorities said.

Another pileup involving more than 20 vehicles took place on an expressway near Xuchang City in central Henan Province, injuring dozens of people.

Also on Monday, thick fog shrouded parts of eastern Zhejiang Province and southern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, forcing the expressways to temporarily shut down.