Giant cracks in road spark evacuation of high-rise blocks in China

MORE than 3,000 residents of a Country Garden Holdings project in China’s northern Tianjin city have been evacuated due to a land subsidence issue nearby, raising concerns over housing safety.

Multiple cracks as wide as a fist appeared on roads near a residential complex developed by Country Garden in the city’s Jinnan district, state media reported. Since last Saturday (Jun 3), 3,899 dwellers in at least three 25-floor high-rise buildings have been evacuated to hotels nearby, the district government said in a social media post on Monday.

The cracks were due to land subsidence after a loss of water beneath the ground, Country Garden said in response to a Bloomberg inquiry, citing preliminary government investigation results. Country Garden will assist with subsequent construction led by the government. 

The incident drew attention on social media in China, where building safety has become a concern. Last year, a tower in Changsha collapsed and killed 54 people due to illegal construction of additional floors. A 72-storey tower in Shenzhen experienced wobbling in 2021. 

China banned the development of skyscrapers taller than 500 m that year due to safety fears. BLOOMBERG