Bridge collapses in southern Taiwan

A busy road bridge has collapsed in southern Taiwan, with witnesses saying at least sixteen cars plunged into the river below.

Drivers said they heard a rumbling sound as a middle section of the four-lane bridge -- connecting the cities of Kaohsiung and Pingtung -- broke and fell into the river.

Cars crashed against the railings and more than a dozen hung on the tilting span.

Twenty people were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Taiwanese police are searching for signs of vehicles that may have been washed down the river.

President Chen Shui-bian has ordered an inquiry to determine whether shoddy construction was involved in the collapse. Correspondents say last year's massive earthquake in Taiwan revealed many collapsed and tilting buildings to have been constructed with shoddy materials.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service