A landslide destroyed a bridge in southwest China’s quake zone early Saturday, July 25, sending at least seven vehicles plunging into the rain-swollen Minjiang River, killing six and injuring 12, local authorities said.
Huge rocks hit and broke a bridge pier at about 5 a.m., buckling more than 330 feet of the 980-foot long Chediguan Bridge in Wenchuan, the epicenter of the earthquake which devastated southwest China last year. At least seven vehicles were found destroyed, including six trucks and one minibus.
Xinhua News Agency originally reported three deaths, but additional bodies were found in the debris of the bridge, raising the death toll to six, they later reported, citing local authorities.
The bridge, which was reopened to traffic in May, is part of the No. 213 National Highway, which has been a lifeline for the reconstruction of Wenchuan since the earthquake. More than 10,000 vehicles pass over the bridge every day.
Observers said that local production was interrupted and wouldn’t resume for at least two or three days. Tourism, too, has been interrupted by the bridge collapse.
Read the original Chinese article.
