Death toll in China bridge collapse rises to 38, with 24 missing
- The bridge in Shaanxi province partially gave way on July 19 ‘due to a sudden downpour and flash floods’, dumping cars and trucks into the swollen river below
The death toll from a highway bridge collapse in northern China after heavy rains two weeks ago has climbed to at least 38, with 24 still missing, state media said on Friday.
The bridge in Shangluo in Shaanxi province partially collapsed on July 19 “due to a sudden downpour and flash floods”, state news agency Xinhua reported at the time.
A three-lane section of the bridge plunged into a river, CCTV footage showed, dumping cars and trucks into the torrent below.
On Friday, authorities revised the death toll up from 12 to 38, with 24 still missing, according to Xinhua.
Authorities have also confirmed that 25 vehicles were swept away when the bridge collapsed, CCTV reported.
China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains across the east and south coming as much of the north has sweltered under successive heatwaves.
