Society

Death toll from China bridge collapse rises to 49

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-08-01 11:56

LUANCHUAN, Henan - The death toll from a bridge collapse in central China's Henan Province a week ago has risen to 49 with 17 still missing, rescue headquarters said Sunday.

The Yihe River bridge collapsed at about 5 pm on July 24 in Luanchuan County, Luoyang City, plunging the people on it into the rushing waters.

Related readings:  Death toll in bridge collapse hits 44; 22 missing  Bridge collapse leaves 37 dead, 29 missing

The chances of survival for the missing were slim, but rescue operations were still under way.

News broke of the accident after Luanchuan's government wrote an apology which was published in Monday's Luoyang Daily, saying "we are deeply sorry for the heavy loss of life ... and we take responsibility."

The bridge was crowded with villagers and tourists from a nearby nursing home who had come to watch flood torrents when it collapsed, according to survivors.

The bridge, built in December 1987, was over 200 meters long and more than 10 meters high. It was the only bridge on a about 4-km section of the river.

An initial government probe showed the dilapidated bridge collapsed after fallen tree trunks became stuck under it, blocking the passage of the raging flood waters.

The floods on July 24 also left 15 dead and 8 missing in other 13 townships in Luanchuan, it said.

Floods nationwide had killed 991 people and left 558 more missing as of 9 a.m. Friday, according to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters.