Rescuers on Tuesday continued to search for 13 people missing three days after a bridge collapsed amid flash floods in central Henan Province. Twenty-eight bodies have so far been found. The Yi River Bridge collapsed at about 5 p.m. Saturday in Luanchuan County, Luoyang City, plunging 42 people on it into the rushing waters, a local government spokesman said. By late Monday, armed police and rescuers had found 28 bodies and only one survivor, Xinhua reported. News broke of the accident after Luanchuan's leaders wrote an apology which was published in Monday's local newspaper Luoyang Daily, saying "we are deeply sorry for the heavy loss of life ... and we take responsibility." An initial probe shows the dilapidated bridge collapsed after fallen tree trunks became stuck under it, blocking the passage of the raging flood waters, Luoyang officials said. Officials said they were continuing the investigation and vowed to severely punish those who were directly to blame. At least 52 people are reported to have died and an additional 20 are missing following rain-triggered floods wrecking havoc in western and southern parts of Henan from July 23 to 25, the authorities said Monday.
