The bridge in Shaanxi province's Shangluo collapsed at around 8:40 pm Friday (1240 GMT) "due to a sudden downpour and flash floods", Xinhua said, citing the provincial public relations department.

Rescue operations were under way Saturday morning, according to Xinhua, with five vehicles so far recovered from the water.

Images on state television CCTV showed a partially submerged section of the bridge with the river rushing over it.

Large portions of northern and central China have been battered since Tuesday by rains that have caused flooding and significant damage.

On Friday, state media reported at least five people dead and eight missing after the rains sparked flooding and mudslides in Shaanxi's Baoji city.

China is enduring a summer of extreme weather, with heavy rains across the east and south coming as much of the north has sweltered in successive heat waves.