Videos shared on social media show the aftermath of the pile-up on the Zhengxin Huanghe bridge in the city of Zhengzhou

At least 200 vehicles could be seen crumpled on top of each other, with one car jack-knifed in the middle of a pile.

One person has been pronounced dead as rescue efforts continue throughout the morning.

A number of people injured in the incident have been trapped in their vehicles while waiting for rescue teams.

11 fire trucks and 66 firefighters have been deployed to the scene.

‘This is too scary. Full of people here, I don’t think we can get off the bridge,’ a person can be heard saying in a clip posted online.

Visibility in many areas was less than 500 metres and down to 200 at times.

Rescuers said more than 200 cars and trucks had slammed into each other.

Cars travelling in both directions over the bridge, which is a major crossing of the Yellow River, were involved in numerous crashes.