Thousands evacuated in China’s Tianjin after cracks appear near high-rises

Thousands of people were evacuated from several high-rise apartment buildings in the northern Chinese city of Tianjin in recent days after land collapses created large cracks on nearby streets, according to state media and the local government.

Large fissures appeared on roads near a residential complex in Tianjin’s Jinnan district and geological experts said they were likely caused by underground cavities below a depth of 1,300 m (4,270 feet), the Tianjin government said on Thursday on social media.

As of June 3, a total of 3,899 residents from at least three 25-storey high-rise buildings were evacuated to nearby hotels, state-backed Global Times quoted the district government as saying.