12 missing in SW China bridge collapse

CHENGDU - Twelve people have been reported missing after a bridge collapsed amid severe flooding in Southwest China's Sichuan province, local authorities said on Wednesday.

As of 11 am, six more people had been reported missing, bringing the total to 12 missing people, while six vehicles were confirmed to have plunged into the Panjiang River after the bridge collapsed, the Jiangyou government said at a press briefing.

The bridge over the Panjiang River in Jiangyou, Sichuan, collapses Tuesday morning. [Photo/Xinhua]

More than 2,700 people have been mobilized to search for the missing along the river downstream.

Rainstorms and flooding have battered the mountainous province since Monday evening. So far, at least three bridges have collapsed due to rain-triggered floods in the cities of Jiangyou and Deyang.

The Jiangyou government has decided to seal off all bridges in upstream sections of the river until the bout of rain passes, and a thorough inspection will be carried out as flooding eases.