At least 12 deaths and 31 missing persons have been reported following a partial bridge collapse in Shanxi province, northern China, as stated by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
According to CNN, authorities disclosed that a section of the bridge in Zhashui County, within the city of Shangluo, gave way on Friday evening due to recent heavy rains and flash floods.
By 12 p.m. local time, 12 a.m. ET, on Saturday, search and rescue missions were ongoing, with 17 cars and 8 trucks having plunged into the river, according to state media.
A witness, surnamed Meng, recounted to local media his narrow escape: “A truck in front of me didn’t stop” and fell into the water, as other drivers were “yelling at me to brake and stop the car!”
President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out rescue and relief efforts” to locate the missing, as reported by Xinhua.
China’s national fire and rescue authority, deployed nearly 900 personnel, along with 90 vehicles, 20 boats, and 41 drones to aid in the rescue operation. CCTV reported that one person had been successfully rescued.
Emphasizing the urgency, President Xi Jinping reiterated the need for “all-out rescue efforts” on Saturday and stressed the critical period for flood control, urging local governments to take decisive action, Reuters noted from local media sources.
China has been battling severe floods recently, following a period of drought caused by minimal rainfall and high temperatures.
In Henan province, over 100,000 residents have been evacuated due to the flooding, as reported by state media.
Additionally, in Sichuan province’s Hanyuan County, flash floods early Saturday morning left more than 30 people missing and inflicted significant damage on homes, roads, and bridges, according to the local emergency management agency cited by CCTV.
Extreme weather has characterized China’s summer, with heavy rainfall in the east and south coinciding with successive heatwaves in the north.
Scientists attribute the increased frequency and intensity of these phenomena to climate change, exacerbated by greenhouse gas emissions.
In May, persistent rains led to the collapse of a highway in southern China, resulting in 48 deaths. More recently, a tornado in eastern China claimed one life, injured 79 people, and caused extensive damage.
