A section of an expressway collapsed on Wednesday in southern China, causing more than a dozen vehicles to fall down a slope. China's state-run media says that so far 24 people have been confirmed dead, and 30 others have been taken to the hospital.

China Central Television said the roughly 18-meter-long section of the road through the mountains in Meizhou, Guangdong Province, collapsed early on Wednesday.

It says 20 cars tumbled down a slope at the site of the highway collapse.

Video posted on social media by China's fire department officials and others shows the collapse site, and flames and smoke rising from the area.

In China, a five-day holiday period for May Day started on Wednesday, and traffic on the country's expressways has been increasing.

There has been a series of floods and landslides in Guangdong Province since early April due to record breaking rainfall.

Some Chinese media reported that heavy rain has continued near the site.