A major washout occurred in Bikou, Wen County, Longnan, with road authorities rushing to repair the damage.
From July 8 to 9, the Gansu Longnan Meteorological Bureau issued consecutive orange and red rainstorm warning signals. Due to persistent heavy rainfall, multiple sections of national and provincial trunk roads under the jurisdiction of the Longnan Highway Administration have experienced landslides, mudslides, and slope failures, leading to complete traffic disruptions on some routes.
According to the Longnan Highway Administration, at 8:30 AM on July 9, landslides and mudslides occurred at K667+100, K671+200, and K678+230 on National Highway 212 (in Xiaojiaba and Yujiawan villages, Zhongmiao Township, Wen County), as well as at the 27-kilometer mark on Provincial Highway 206 (at Mayaliang, Dayao Road). At K642+300 (in Guantouban, Wen County), a roadbed collapse created a gap, leaving only 2 meters of roadway, restricting traffic to small vehicles only. At 10:20 AM, landslides and mudslides occurred at K637+800 on National Highway 212 and K27+900 on Provincial Highway 206 (in Guantouban, Wen County, and Mayaliang, Sanhe Township, Wudu District), resulting in complete traffic disruption.
After the disaster struck, the Longnan Highway Administration immediately activated its emergency response plan for highway washouts. The Bikou Highway Management Section promptly mobilized all maintenance staff, three loaders, and five maintenance vehicles to the site to carry out emergency repairs and ensure road accessibility. They also assigned personnel to direct traffic on-site and set up safety warning signs. Shang Jie, a technician at the Bikou Section who was at the washout site, said: “Bikou has never experienced such severe washout damage. This morning, many areas had to be inspected on foot. Aside from duty personnel, everyone else from the Bikou Section office and maintenance stations has been deployed to repair the roads.”
Currently, rainfall continues across Longnan. The Longnan Highway Administration is mobilizing large machinery and emergency repair equipment from nearby areas to assist at the Bikou washout site, while also releasing timely road condition updates to the public. Aside from the roadbed collapse at the 642-kilometer mark plus 300 meters on National Highway 212 (in Guantouban, Wen County), which remains impassable, other blocked sections are barely passable. Local traffic police have also arrived at the scene to direct vehicles and help clear the roads.