Beijing: The death toll from a subway tunnel collapse at Hangzhou in eastern China today rose to five.

The accident took place on Saturday when 75 meters of the tunnel collapsed trapping about 50 workers and 11 vehicles, Xinhua news agency reported. Three bodies were recovered by the rescue workers after 16 hours of search. Intense search has been on to rescue the trapped workers.

"There is a slim chance of survival for the trapped workers, because of heavy flooding," chief of the rescue operation Wang Guangrong said. About 1000 policemen, firemen heavy equipments to pump out the water in the channel. Those who were trapped in vehicles have also been rescued safely. Most of the trapped workers have been saved.

The cause of the collapse is being investigated. Measures were being taken to prevent secondary disasters after new cracks were spotted in the half constructed tunnel.

All subway construction work in the city has been halted for safety checks, China Railway Group Co. Ltd. Vice president Bai Zhongren said. The construction of an entire network of subways started last year March in Hangzhou.

Source : PTI