More than 3,000 residents of a Country Garden Holdings Co. project in China’s northern Tianjin city were 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 in the city’s Jinnan district developed by Country Garden, according to a report by state media. As of last Saturday, 3,899 dwellers in at least three 25-floor high-rises were 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 issues have become a concern. Last year, a tower in Changsha collapsed and killed 54 people due to illegal construction of additional floors. A 72-story tower in Shenzhen experienced wobbling in 2021.
China banned development of skyscrapers taller than 500 meters (1,640 feet) that year due to safety fears.
