Flood destroys ancient bridge in East China

HEFEI -- A bridge dating back over 480 years to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) collapsed in floodwaters Tuesday in East China's Anhui province.

Zhenhai Bridge, a state-level cultural relics protection site located in Tunxi district in the city of Huangshan, was destroyed by the roaring Xin'an River at 9:50 am during a heavy rainstorm starting Monday evening.

No casualties were reported as local people had been evacuated and traffic on the bridge had been blocked.

The bridge, 133 meters long and 15 meters wide, was initially constructed in 1536 and rebuilt several times in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).