President Xi Orders Swift Action After Bridge Collapse in Shaanxi

President Xi Jinping has called for urgent rescue operations following the collapse of a highway bridge in Shaanxi province that killed 11 people. The incident, which occurred due to a flash flood, has led to significant casualties and missing persons, prompting a large-scale rescue effort.

President Xi Jinping urged immediate and comprehensive rescue operations after a highway bridge collapse on Friday in Shaanxi province resulted in the deaths of 11 people, state media reported on Saturday.

The collapse occurred at 8:40 p.m. (1240 GMT) in Shangluo city due to a sudden flash flood, causing several vehicles to plunge into the river. By 10 a.m. on Saturday, it was confirmed that five vehicles had fallen into the water and 30 people were reported missing, according to state media sources.

Xi emphasized the critical need for flood control measures and insisted that local governments take responsibility for enhancing monitoring and early warning systems. China's national fire and rescue authority announced it had deployed a comprehensive rescue team to the site, consisting of 859 personnel, 90 vehicles, 20 boats, and 41 drones.

(With inputs from agencies.)