(MENAFN- AzerNews)
A bridge collapse caused by torrential rains in northern China
has killed 11 people and left more than 30 missing, state media
said on Saturday (Jul 20), Azernews reports citing
the Business Times.
The bridge over a river in Shaanxi province's Shangluo collapsed
at around 8.40 pm on Friday (1240 GMT)“due to a sudden downpour
and flash floods”, official news agency Xinhua said, citing the
provincial public relations department.
State broadcaster CCTV said nearly 20 vehicles and more than 30
people remained missing after the highway bridge collapsed into the
river below.
All 11 confirmed victims were found inside five vehicles that
had so far been recovered from the water, the broadcaster said.
Images on state TV showed a partially submerged section of the
bridge with the river rushing over it.
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 fell into the water,
the witness, surnamed Meng, said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged“all-out efforts” to find
those still missing, CCTV said.
Large portions of northern and central China have been battered
since Tuesday by rains that have caused flooding and significant
damage.
On Friday, state media 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 neighborhoods 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 the Henan city of Nanyang, the equivalent of a year's worth
of rain fell at the start of the week, according to CCTV.
China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains
across the east and south coming as much of the north has sweltered
in successive heat waves.
Climate change, which scientists say is exacerbated by
greenhouse gas emissions, is making these types of extreme weather
phenomena more frequent and more intense.
In May, a highway in southern China collapsed after days of
rain, leaving 48 dead.
Earlier this month, a tornado passed through a town in eastern
China killing one, injuring 79 and causing significant damage.
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