Partial Collapse of Highway Bridge in China Kills at Least 15

Rescuers work near a collapsed bridge in Zhashui county in Shangluo city, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on July 20, 2024. Chinese authorities say several people have died and more than dozen are missing in the partial collapse of a highway bridge in the northwest of the country following heavy storms and flooding. Zhao Yingbo/Xinhua via AP

A highway bridge gave way in China’s hinterland Shaanxi Province during a recent storm, killing at least 15 and fueling concern among locals about the safety of the country’s infrastructure.

On July 19, a severe rainstorm hit Zhashui county in the middle of the province, causing a flash flood and the rapid rise of river water. At around 8:40 p.m. local time, a section of the bridge collapsed and bent down at almost a 90-degree angle into the rushing brown water, according to state broadcaster CCTV.