Four Xinluo district officials missing after bridge collapse

Four officials from Xinluo district, Longyan city in Fujian province are currently missing after a bridge collapsed during a sudden flood caused by heavy rainfall, China Central Television reported on Sunday.

The four were inspecting the water level of Longchuan River in the district when the incident occurred at around 1:40 am on Sunday.

The bridge, built in 1983, collapsed due to the severity of the flood. Three of the missing officials work for the street office, while one is a village official, with the youngest one being only 25 years old.

Rescue efforts are ongoing.

Since the end of March, China has experienced a steady rainy season throughout its southern regions. However, since Friday, the situation has taken a turn toward dangerous as heavy rains and flooding have wreaked havoc across the country, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The southern provinces are among the hardest hit, with accumulations of rainfall reaching up to 406 millimeters in Jiangxi's Fuzhou city and 313mm in Fujian's Nanping city.

The excessive rainfall has caused the water levels of many small and medium-sized rivers to rise above their warning marks, with 50 rivers flooding in six provinces. In comparison to the past few years, this year's flooding has been particularly severe due to an increase in moisture in the atmosphere.