A bridge collapse in northern China, caused by torrential rains, has led to the deaths of 12 people and left over 30 missing, according to state media on Saturday.
Recent heavy rains have heavily affected northern and central China, causing widespread flooding and significant damage.
The bridge in Shaanxi province gave way late Friday due to sudden downpours and flash floods, as reported by Xinhua, the state news agency.
The 12 victims from Shangluo City were found inside five vehicles retrieved from the river under the collapsed bridge.
Currently, 31 people remain missing, and initial investigations suggest that 17 cars and eight trucks plunged into the river during the collapse. Television footage showed part of the bridge submerged in the fast-flowing river.
An eyewitness recalled how other drivers’ warnings stopped him from crossing the bridge in time. “A truck in front of me didn’t stop and fell into the water,” said the witness, Mr. Meng. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for thorough rescue and relief efforts to find those still missing.
In Sichuan province, more than 30 people were reported missing after a violent thunderstorm caused flash flooding in Ya’an town on Saturday, according to CCTV.
Elsewhere, in Shaanxi’s Baoji city, at least five people died and eight were reported missing after rains triggered flooding and mudslides on Friday.
State television showed footage of neighborhoods submerged in muddy water, with residents and excavators working to clear the damage.
China has faced extreme weather this summer, with heavy rains in the east and south and heatwaves in the north.
Scientists link the increased frequency and intensity of these extreme weather events to climate change, worsened by greenhouse gas emissions.
In a similar incident in May, a highway collapse in southern China resulted in 48 deaths after days of heavy rain.
Earlier this month, a tornado struck a town in eastern China, killing one person, injuring 79, and causing extensive damage.
