Train carriages fall into river after floods destroy bridge in SW China

Source:Global Times Published: 2010-8-20 9:31:00


Two carriages of a passenger train fall into a river after floods destroyed the Shitingjiang Bridge on the Baocheng Railway in Xiaohan Town, Guanghan City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 19, 2010. The train was traveling from Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. No casualties were caused and no people were missing as all the passengers were evacuated from the train before the carriages plunged into the river. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

Two train carriages plunged into a river after floods destroyed a bridge section of a railway line in southwest China's Sichuan Province Thursday.

No casualties had been reported and no one was missing as all the passengers had been ordered off the train before it derailed at about 3:20 p.m. on the Shitingjiang Bridge in Guanghan, rescuers and railway authorities said.

"The conductor became aware of the danger just before the train reached the bridge. He made an emergency stop and got all passengers off safely," a solider involved in the rescue operation told Xinhua by phone.

"We haven't found anyone missing," he said.

A fire-fighter at the site told Xinhua that the two carriages had been swept 200 meters down the river, and two piers were destroyed by floods after torrential rains.

A report carried by local news website newssc.org said the train had 18 carriages -- two in the Shitingjiang River, seven on the bridge and the others were safe on the track.

The train was traveling from Xi'an, capital of northwestern Shaanxi Province, to Kunming, capital of southwestern Yunnan Province. It was carrying about 1,300 passengers.

The railway line links Chengdu, capital of Sichuan and Baoji in Shaanxi.

Heavy rains have pounded Sichuan this summer, triggering floods and landslides. The province faced more rains in the coming days, according to meteorological authorities.

 


Two carriages of a passenger train fall into a river after floods destroyed the Shitingjiang Bridge on the Baocheng Railway in Xiaohan Town, Guanghan City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 19, 2010. The train was traveling from Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. No casualties were caused and no people were missing as all the passengers were evacuated from the train before the carriages plunged into the river. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

 


Two carriages of a passenger train fall into a river after floods destroyed the Shitingjiang Bridge on the Baocheng Railway in Xiaohan Town, Guanghan City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 19, 2010. The train was traveling from Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. No casualties were caused and no people were missing as all the passengers were evacuated from the train before the carriages plunged into the river. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)

 


Two carriages of a passenger train are swept 200 meters away in water after they fell into a river from the destroyed Shitingjiang Bridge on the Baocheng Railway in Xiaohan Town, Guanghan City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 19, 2010. The train was traveling from Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province. No casualties were caused and no people were missing as all the passengers were evacuated from the train before the carriages plunged into the river. (Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing)



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