At least 12 killed and dozens missing after bridge collapses amid floods in China
The bridge collapse followed heavy storms and flooding in the region. (AP: Zhao Yingbo/Xinhua)
In short:
At least 12 people have died and 30 others are missing after a highway bridge collapsed in northern China.
Five cars that fell off the bridge have been recovered, but some 20 other cars in the province's Zhashui county are still missing.
At least 20 people died from heavy storms and flooding across the country's northern and south-western regions.
Flash floods in northern and south-west China have killed at least 20 people and left dozens missing after a week of deadly downpours across the country, state media says.
At least 12 people died and 30 others are missing after a highway bridge in China's north-west collapsed amid floods, state news agency Xinhua reported.
Initial investigations indicated that 17 cars and eight trucks had fallen into the river, Xinhua said.
Five vehicles that fell off the bridge have been recovered after the structure in Shaanxi province crumbled at around 8:40pm local time on Friday, the agency said.
Loading...A photo released by Xinhua showed a section of the bridge snapped and folded down at almost a 90-degree angle into the rushing brown water below.
The bridge collapse followed heavy storms and flooding in the region.
Rescue operations are reportedly still underway in the province's Zhashui county, with some 20 cars and 30 people still missing.
A section of the bridge snapped and folded down at almost a 90-degree angle. (AP: Zou Jingyi/Xinhua)
One witness told local media that he had approached the bridge but that other drivers started "yelling at me to brake and stop the car".
"A truck in front of me didn't stop" and plunged into the water, the witness, surnamed Meng, said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged "all-out rescue and relief efforts" to find those still missing, Xinhua said.
Meanwhile, in south-western Sichuan province more than 30 people were reported missing on Saturday after a violent thunderstorm caused flash flooding overnight in the town of Ya'an, according to Xinhua.
Emergency workers are evacuating stranded people in a village in China's south-western province of Sichuan. (AFP: NurPhoto )
Eight bodies had been recovered as of Saturday evening, while four people were rescued without serious injuries, it added.
On Friday, state media had reported at least five people dead and eight missing after the rains sparked flooding and mudslides in Shaanxi's Baoji city.
State television broadcast images of neighbourhoods completely flooded by muddy water, with excavators and residents attempting to clear the damage.
The semi-desert province of Gansu, which neighbours Shaanxi, and Henan in central China were also hit by heavy rains this week.
In Henan's Nanyang city, the equivalent of a year's worth of rain fell at the start of the week, CCTV said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged "all-out rescue and relief efforts". (AFP: NurPhoto)
China's western and south-western provinces are particularly prone to flooding and landslides due to their mountainous landscapes and the powerful rivers that run through them.
Mining, tourism and rising urbanisation have also disturbed a precarious balance with the natural environment that had been sustained over thousands of years.
Shaanxi is best known as the home of China's first emperor, Qinshi Huangdi, who left the famed terracotta army as his legacy outside the capital Xi'an as part of a vast tomb complex that attracts massive numbers of visitors each year.
As its economy boomed over recent decades, China built a huge network of highways, high-speed railways and airports — most of which have helped fuel further growth.
However, the poor-quality infrastructure, poor safety supervision and a desire to cut corners by industries looking to save money have led to a steady stream of deadly accidents.
AP/AFP