Up to 11 dead and dozens missing after bridge collapses in China
At least 11 people have died after a road bridge in the north west of China partially collapsed during heavy storms and flooding.
Around 30 people are still missing after the structure in Shaanxi province collapsed at 8:40pm local time on Friday night, according to the China’s state news agency, Xinhua.
A photo of the incident showed part of the bridge snapped and partially submerged. The news agency said five vehicles had been recovered after they fell from the bridge, but that around 20 cars are still missing.
Rescue operations are still underway.
China’s national fire and rescue authority said it had sent a rescue team to the site, including 859 emergency workers, 90 vehicles, 20 boats and 41 drones.
On Friday evening, president Xi Jinping said China was in a critical period for flood control, and called for an all-out rescue effort.
China has built an extensive network of motorways, high-speed railways and airports as its economy boomed in recent decades. But a decline in the economic expansion which made those expansions possible, plus poor safety supervision and poor-quality infrastructure has led to a number of deadly industrial accidents.
A boom in mining, tourism and urbanisation have also threatened a balance with the natural environment in China.
In December, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit the neighboring state of Gansu, killing more than 130 people.