A total of 24 tourists have been rescued after they fell into a river from a tilted suspension bridge at a popular tourist town in central China on Wednesday night.

They had been sent to hospitals and only two who suffered from minor injuries remained in hospital for further observation, according to the government of Fenghuang county, Hunan Province.

About 40 people, who returned from a bonfire party, were on the bridge when the bridge floor suddenly tilted in Fenghuang at around 9:10 p.m., the county's deputy head Cai Long told Xinhua.

More than 20, including children and elderly people, fell into the 1.2-meter-deep river water, Cai said, citing eyewitnesses.

A total of 15 people managed to climb onto the river bank on their own, Cai said.

Search and rescue work is still underway to ensure no one was left out, the county government said.

The county authorities have ordered all hotels and inns in Fenghuang to check if all the guests have returned.

All bonfire parties and other leisure programs in the town have been suspended for safety checkups.

Wednesday marks the end of the three-day May Day holiday.

沪江快讯：据凤凰县官方介绍，5月1日晚9点10分左右，凤凰县桃花岛篝火晚会跨河吊桥因受力桥墩断裂，出现桥面倾斜，从篝火晚会散场的游客经过吊桥时落水。

据多名在场的游客介绍，在过桥时，很多游客一同摇晃索桥，导致索桥断落，发生侧翻。

据凤凰县委常委、副县长蔡龙介绍，现场工作人员目击，桥上约有40人，其中20多人落水。游客落水处水深约1.2米，落水游客中有老人和小孩。

据凰县政府办通报，截至今晨零点30分，落水游客已基本搜寻上岸，其中24人送往医院检查，2人轻微伤留院观察，其余22人返回宾馆休息。为防遗漏，搜寻工作仍在进行。

凤凰县已控制篝火晚会负责人，并对全县所有宾馆进行游客排查登记，并组织相关部门、乡镇、村干部对下游进行仔细搜寻。当地政府现已要求全县篝火晚会及乡村游景点停业，进行安全检查。