At least 11 people killed, dozens missing in China bridge collapse | Weather News

As China grapples with extreme weather conditions, authorities said a bridge collapsed following heavy rains and flash floods.

At least 11 people have died and dozens more are missing after a highway bridge partially collapsed in northern China’s Shaanxi province amid severe storms and flooding, authorities said.

The incident occurred at 8:40 p.m. (12:40 GMT) on Friday in the city of Shangluo. All victims were rescued from five vehicles that fell off the bridge “due to a sudden downpour and flash floods,” state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.

State broadcaster CCTV said nearly 20 vehicles and more than 30 people were missing after the highway bridge collapsed into the river below. State media reported that rescue operations were still ongoing on Saturday.

A witness told local media that he approached the bridge but other drivers “yelled at him to slow down and stop the car.”

“A truck in front of me did not stop” and fell into the water, said the witness, who is only identified as Meng.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for “comprehensive rescue and relief efforts to protect people’s lives and property,” state media reported.

Since Tuesday, heavy rains have hit large parts of northern and central China, causing flooding and significant damage. On Friday, at least five people were killed in floods and landslides in the city of Baoji (Shaanxi), and eight are missing.

According to state media, the city of Nanyang in Henan received as much rain as in an entire year at the beginning of the week. In the southwestern province of Sichuan, two more people were killed and seven people were missing.

Extreme weather conditions occurred in various regions of China during the summer and several heat waves were also reported.

In May, at least 48 people were killed when a large section of a highway collapsed due to heavy rains in a mountainous region of the southern Chinese city of Meizhou.