WUHAN - Hundreds of workers are rushing to repair a section of a new high-speed railway in central China's Hubei province that collapsed after persistent rain, local authorities said on Monday.

The Hanyi High-speed Railway, which links the provincial capital Wuhan and Yichang city, is expected to open in May. The collapsed part has already undergone test runs.

The roadbed of a 300-meter section rail in Qianjiang city collapsed Friday afternoon. Workers working the section said heavy rain in the past few days may have caused the problem.

The 291-km Hanyi railway, constructed by the China Railway 12th Bureau Group Co., will be a major high-speed rail in central China.