A railway bridge in Chongqing partially collapsed yesterday morning, local authorities reported, after rain deluged the southwestern Chinese municipality for several days and fueled concerns that more rain-induced disasters would hit the nation.
China over the past month has experienced torrential rain, flash floods and deadly mudslides, leading government officials to issue heightened warnings and advisories.
Steady downpours in Chongqing for several days led to the strongest stretch of rainfall since the rainy season began, state media reported.
Photo: Reuters
The city, which is home to 30 million people, is one of the most populous in China.
Between 8am on Thursday last week and 8am on Monday, Chongqing had persistent rain with about 219mm registered in Beibei District, China Central Television news reported, citing the Chongqing Water Resources Bureau.
Sibuhe railway bridge in Chongqing partially collapsed after being damaged by floodwater, the local bureau of the National Railway Administration said.
Train operations were temporarily halted or rearranged.
Footage on social media showed homes collapsing and rescue boats evacuating people amid heavy rain.
Meanwhile, local media reported that a vehicle carrying five people was washed away by floodwater at a bridge in Queshan County in Henan Province on Monday night.
One person was rescued.
Chinese meteorological authorities had warned of risks of rain-triggered geological disasters in parts of Henan, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and Shaanxi from 8pm on Monday to 8pm yesterday.
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