At least one person has tragically died in what's been described as one of the world's biggest ever car crashes.
Early estimates state that more than 200 vehicles were involved in multiple pileups, which unfolded on a bridge in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou today (28 December).
Shocking images and clips shared on social media show the scale of the damage, with cars and trucks piled on top of each other.
Officials say the incident was caused by icy roads and extremely dense fog, which is visible in a number of the videos.
Local weather services stated that the fog meant visibility was down to 500 metres in the morning, and this only dropped further to 200 metres later in the day.
In one clip, a man can be seen surveying the damage to one of the vehicles, while another shows a witness saying: "This is too scary. Full of people here, I don't think we can get off the bridge."
According to state media via Reuters, many of those who had been injured by the collision were trapped in their cars.
Emergency services were immediately dispatched to the area to help rescue the trapped motorists.
The fire department is said to have sent 11 fire trucks and dozens of rescue personnel to try and deal with the ongoing situation in the Henan Province city.
A number of injured drivers and passengers were rushed to a local hospital for treatment, with only one death reported.
No details about the victim or those who were wounded have been released at the time of writing.
The Global Times reports that a person on the scene named Zhang told Xiaoxiang Morning Herald that the accidents led to traffic jams of up to three or four kilometers and consisted of hundreds of cars.
"It was foggy this morning, there was water on the bridge and it was slippery, and now the vehicles were coming out one after another," he explained.
The outlet reached the Zhengzhou emergency department, but they were told there is no updated information right now.
Police have since closed the bridge, which is a major crossing of the Yellow River, with updates expected in the coming hours.
Earlier this week, local residents were warned about the foggy weather and how it could disrupt visibility on the roads.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Topics: Cars, China, World News
