Beijing, July 22: At least 15 fatalities have been confirmed following a bridge collapse in China's Shaanxi province, as rescue operations continued into Sunday evening, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.

The incident occurred in Zhashui County, Shangluo city, on Friday evening, triggered by heavy rains and flash floods. According to CCTV, approximately 25 vehicles plunged from the bridge due to the collapse.

China's national fire and rescue authority mobilized a substantial response team, deploying 1,630 personnel, 205 vehicles, and 63 boats to facilitate rescue efforts, as detailed in Sunday's broadcast. Rescue operations are ongoing, with the number of missing individuals and those successfully rescued still unclear as of Monday morning. Early reports indicated one person had been rescued, the broadcaster reported Sunday.

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued directives on Saturday urging "all-out rescue efforts" and vigilance against ongoing risks in the affected regions.

The incident underscores broader challenges faced across China, where extensive areas have been grappling with heavy rains leading to flooding and landslides in recent weeks. This year's flood season started unusually early, exacerbating the situation.

In neighbouring Henan province, over 1,00,000 residents have been evacuated due to flooding, according to state media reports. Meanwhile, in Sichuan province to the southwest, flash floods in Hanyuan County claimed over 10 lives with 29 individuals still reported missing as of Sunday afternoon.

Authorities noted that the floods struck suddenly around 2:30 a.m. local time, catching many residents off guard while they were asleep. The impact included significant damage to residences, infrastructure such as roads and bridges, and disrupted local communities, CCTV reported.

(ANI)

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