Authorities said they uncovered more bodies today from the wreckage of a US highway bridge that collapsed into the Mississippi River, and more than 20 people were missing.
A section of the bridge in Minneapolis plunged into the river during yesterday evening's rush hour in a deadly avalanche of steel and concrete, flipping dozens of vehicles into the river or onto the debris.
Cars lie in the wreckage of the collapsed I-35W bridge that spans the Mississippi River in Minneapolis
"Several (more) people are confirmed dead at the scene," Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan said, in addition to the four deaths already confirmed by the local coroner.
Dolan would not be more specific about the toll on the Interstate 35W bridge.
About 60 people were injured.
The death toll was almost certain to climb as recovery work continued.
"These are horrible images but within each of those images is a story. That car you see tangled in the wreckage is someone's cousin, brother or husband, " Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak told reporters.
"Thank God this wasn't worse."
The 40-year-old steel-truss bridge carried at least 100,000 vehicles a day. The section of the bridge that collapsed stood about 65 feet (20 metres) above the river at that point.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said in network television interviews the bridge had passed inspections, although it was among thousands of bridges across the country deemed to be "structurally deficient" in a federal government report.
Federal investigators were on their way to probe the cause.
Rybak said it was too early to pinpoint a cause.