Repair of flood-destroyed ancient bridge kicks off in East China

HEFEI -- Repair work has started on a 480-year-old bridge in East China's Anhui province, four months after it was destroyed by summer floodwaters.

The Zhenhai Bridge, built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), was a state-level cultural relics protection site in the city of Huangshan. It was destroyed by floods during a heavy rainstorm on July 7.

Salvage operations started on Aug 12 and lasted for 19 days. Over 4,500 cubic meters of material from the wrecked structure were retrieved, paving the way for repair work, according to Huangshan Cultural and Tourism Bureau.

The repair work is estimated to cost over 49.8 million yuan (about $7.5 million) and will be finished by the end of 2021, said the project contractor.

The 131-meter bridge with seven arches was initially constructed in 1536 and was repaired several times in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) after being damaged by flooding.