The Guangdong provincial government formed an investigation team on Thursday to look into the ground collapse incident which has left 13 workers missing.

The incident took place at around 11 pm on Wednesday at the section 5 construction site of the Shenzhen-Jiangmen Railway in Bao'an district of Shenzhen, Guangdong province, a statement from local emergency management authorities said.

The Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a work team to the site on Thursday, while emergency services, traffic police and transportation departments have also been deployed to assist in rescue operations.

Provincial and city leaders including Huang Kunming, Party secretary of Guangdong province and Wang Weizhong, governor of Guangdong, arrived at the scene to oversee the response efforts in the morning.

At the site, Huang showed support for the rescuers and urged them to work quickly while ensuring safety. He stressed the need for effective rescue plans and advanced equipment, saying that every effort must be made to save lives.

Huang called for mobilizing provincial resources for the search and highlighted the importance of thorough risk assessments and safety measures to prevent further collapses.

Authorities have evacuated nearby residents from the area and conducted temporary traffic controls on surrounding roadways.