A train employee prepares to enter a CRH (China Railway High-speed) Harmony bullet train at Beijing South Railway Station
A Harmony bullet train at Beijing South Railway Station. REUTERS

A newly constructed portion of China's high-speed railway collapsed following heavy rains in the central Hubei province.

The 300-meter section of track fell in Qianjiang city on Friday afternoon, according to China's state-run news agency Xinhua. The incident wasn't reported by authorities until Monday.

Workers were quickly dispatched to repair the rail, which had previously undergone test runs.

The line is part of the new Hanyi High-Speed Railway, which will connect the provincial capital of Wuhan with Yichang city once it is completed. The 180-mile long rail line is expected to open in May.

The collapse is the latest incident to scar China's budding high-speed rail endeavors. For the past few years, China has made high-speed train transport a national priority, and by the end of the year the country hopes to have more high-speed track miles than the rest of the world put together.

But the projects have come under scrutiny following repeated accidents and violations. The country's railway minister was sacked last year for serious disciplinary violations, whistle-blowers have revealed cases of corruption, and last July two trains collided due to a signal failure. More than 40 people died in that crash, reports said.

There are 13 high-speed railways in operation, 26 under construction and an additional 23 lines are planned, the Associated Press reported.

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