Bridge Collapse Rains Leave 37 Dead in China

BEIJING (Reuters) - A river whose flow has increased by heavy rains brought down a bridge in central China, killing at least 37 people, and authorities warned that the region must prepare for more rain this week, on Tuesday reported several media.

Another 19 people remain missing, local newspaper reported on its website (www.dahe.cn), after a bridge 153 meters long collapsed Saturday afternoon in the mountainous Luanchuan County in the province Henan.

Most people on the bridge fell into the water, whose waters were riots after weeks of torrential rain, but six people were rescued, according to the report.

Three days of heavy rains in the province have left 52 dead, including casualties of the bridge, and 20 missing, said the website in a separate report, adding that nearly 200,000 people had to be relocated.

Also on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported 21 people missing after rains caused a flood in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

According to reports, more than 750 people killed this year by floods and landslides in China, and hundreds are missing. China is prone to heavy rains and floods at this time of year, but this season the damage and casualties have been worse than usual.

During a weekend visit to areas hit by floods in the provinces of Hubei and Anhui, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao described as "critical" to the situation of water control, and urged local authorities to take measures to face more rain in the coming days.

- Written By Rekhilesh -

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