China's president Xi urges all-out rescue efforts after highway bridge collapse kills 11

6:49 pm on 20 July 2024

(240720) -- ZHASHUI, July 20, 2024 (Xinhua) -- This photo taken on July 20, 2024 shows the site of a bridge collapse in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
Eleven people were confirmed dead as of Saturday morning following the partial collapse of a highway bridge in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, local authorities said.
The bridge, located in Zhashui County in Shangluo City, collapsed at approximately 8:40 p.m. on Friday due to a sudden downpour and flash floods, according to the provincial publicity department.
By 10 a.m. on Saturday, rescue teams had recovered five vehicles that had fallen into the river. Rescue operations are underway. (Xinhua) (Photo by Liu Xiao / XINHUA / Xinhua via AFP)

Five vehicles fell in the river after the bridge collapsed. Photo: Xinhua/Liu Xiao

President Xi Jinping urged all-out rescue efforts after a highway bridge collapse on Friday in Shaanxi province in China's northwest killed 11 people, state media reported on Saturday.

The incident occurred at 8:40 p.m. in Shangluo city on Friday (12:40a.m. Saturday NZT) when a highway bridge collapsed due to a flash flood, causing some vehicles to fall into the river.

As of 10 a.m. on Saturday (2p.m. NZT), five vehicles were confirmed to have fallen into the water and 30 people were reported missing, state media said.

Xi said China was in a critical period for flood control and local governments must take responsibility to enhance monitoring and early warning.

China's national fire and rescue authority said on Saturday it had dispatched a rescue team to the site that included 859 people, 90 vehicles, 20 boats and 41 drones.

- Reuters