Floods dampen central China

EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL

A 120-metre (394-foot) long bridge in central China collapsed on Sunday (May 13) morning after floodwater washed two dredging ships into it, state media CCTV reported.

The ships rammed against the bridge span on Saturday (May 12) after a hailstorm in the Hunan province caused water levels to rise, CCTV said.

Local authorities said that the bridge, which stayed up for a day despite the broken span, collapsed after motorcyclists forced their way through on Sunday, even though the bridge was closed one day earlier, CCTV reported.

Nine people fell into the river. Three were rescued but the rest are still missing, state media said.

In southeast China's Fujian province, floods caused by continuous rainfall have caused significant losses to local businesses, CCTV said.

The Longjin river, which flows through Qingliu county, has overflowed and flooded a city square and businesses along its banks on Sunday, state media said.

Muddy floodwater has flowed into the county's Taiwanese agricultural exhibition hall and washed away many displays, CCTV reported.

Thirteen townships in the area have been heavily affected by the floods, and more than 5,600 victims have been evacuated through disaster relief, CCTV said.