Eleven people have been confirmed dead and more than 30 are missing following a partial collapse of a highway bridge due to flash floods in Shaanxi province, China, on Saturday, PTI reported. The bridge, situated in Zhashui County within Shangluo City, fell on Friday evening after intense rainfall and sudden flooding, Xinhua news agency and the provincial publicity department said.
The collapse caused several vehicles to plunge into the Jinqian River beneath the bridge. The total number of affected vehicles is still being assessed. Rescue teams have recovered five vehicles from the river, and operations are ongoing.
The Ministry of Emergency Management has dispatched a team to oversee the rescue efforts, while the China National Comprehensive Fire and Rescue Team has deployed 736 personnel, 76 vehicles, 18 boats, and 32 drones to aid in the response. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for comprehensive rescue and relief operations to protect lives and property following the disaster.
Earlier incidents include a highway collapse in southern China in May, which resulted in 48 deaths after days of heavy rain. Earlier this month, a tornado struck a town in eastern China, killing one person, injuring 79, and causing significant damage.
China is experiencing a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains affecting the east and south, while much of the north has been enduring consecutive heat waves.
The semi-desert province of Gansu, which borders Shaanxi and Henan in central China, was also hit by heavy rains this week. In Nanyang, a city in Henan, rainfall equivalent to an entire year’s worth was recorded earlier in the week.