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

[July 20, 2024]  BEIJING (Reuters) - 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. 

China's President Xi Jinping attends a meeting with Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana, Kazakhstan July 3, 2024. Press Service of the President of Kazakhstan/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

The incident occurred at 8:40 p.m. (1240 GMT) in Shangluo city on Friday 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, five vehicles were confirmed to have fallen into the water and 30 people were reported missing, state media said.

Xi said China is 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.

(Reporting by Colleen Howe and Siyi Liu; Editing by William Mallard and Tom Hogue)

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