A tragic incident occurred in northern China as a bridge collapse caused by heavy rains resulted in the loss of 11 lives with more than 30 individuals still missing, according to state media reports on Saturday.
The collapse of the bridge over a river in Shaanxi province’s Shangluo was caused by a sudden downpour and flash floods at around 8:40 pm on Friday (1240 GMT), as stated by the provincial public relations department cited by Xinhua news agency.
CCTV reported that nearly 20 vehicles and over 30 people were missing after the collapse of the highway bridge into the river below.
All 11 confirmed victims were found inside five vehicles recovered from the water, as shown on state TV images of the partially submerged bridge section with rushing water.
President Xi Jinping has called for “all-out efforts” to locate those still missing in the aftermath of the tragic incident.
The region has been hit by heavy rains since Tuesday, causing flooding and significant damage in many parts of northern and central China.
In addition to the bridge collapse incident, reports of fatalities and missing individuals have been reported from other areas affected by the extreme weather conditions, including Baoji city in Shaanxi, Gansu province, Henan province, and Sichuan province.
China is facing a summer of extreme weather events, with heavy rains in some regions and intense heat waves in others, highlighting the impact of climate change on extreme weather phenomena.
Recent incidents like the collapse of a highway in southern China and a tornado in eastern China serve as grim reminders of the destructive power of natural disasters exacerbated by climate change.
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