NANNING -- One person died and nine others remained missing as of 7 pm Sunday after a truck plunged into a river in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, local authorities said.

The accident occurred on Saturday night, when a pickup truck carrying 15 people fell into the water while crossing a flooded bridge in Luoyang Township of Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county, and five people were rescued, according to the county government.

More than 700 rescuers are continuing search operations for the missing people, local authorities told a press briefing.

The rescuers, including police officers, emergency management personnel, firefighters and militia members, are searching key areas within 30 km downstream of the accident site.

Rescue efforts have been hampered by complex river terrain, fast currents and murky water after torrential rains caused the river water level to rise, said Lin Huan, deputy captain of the Red Cross Rescue Team of Hechi city, which administers the county.

Experts from the Shanghai Fire Research Institute of the Ministry of Emergency Management have brought advanced detection equipment to assist in locating the truck, according to Huang Rong, political commissar of Hechi fire and rescue bureau.

Heavy rainfall and flooding have affected more than 2,000 residents and damaged over 110 hectares of farmland in the county, the authorities said.