Island's bridge reopens 4 months after accident

Residents of Sanmin Island in Guangzhou, the capital of South China's Guangdong province, celebrated on Saturday as the Lixinsha Bridge reopened to traffic a month ahead of schedule.

The bridge, which spans the Pearl River's Hongliqi waterway and was the island's sole vehicular connection, was closed for repairs in February after it was hit by a barge on Feb 22, causing a central section to collapse. Five people died and two were injured in the incident.

"The bridge reopening is a huge relief," said Li Zhigang, the project manager for the bridge's reconstruction. "It effectively guarantees the livelihoods of the island's over 9,000 residents."