“We are very fortunate the outcome didn’t end in tragedy on both occasions” – police

One person was killed during a massive pile-up involving more than 200 vehicles in the central Chinese city Zhengzhou on Wednesday, according to state media.

The pile-up took place on a bridge that was shrouded in heavy morning fog, which caused multiple vehicles to crash, according to state-owned The Global Times.

Photos from the scene show the long multi-lane bridge, stretching across fields and the Yellow River, strewn with vehicles crammed into each other.

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Cars, cargo trucks, lorries and other vehicles can be seen in the pile-up.

In videos filmed from the ground, the air is still thick with fog.

One clip shows a truck sliding forward, crashing into several smaller cars, as sirens ring in the distance.

Many drivers and passengers were trapped in their cars, according to The Global Times.

Emergency response workers and fire rescuers were deployed to the scene, including personnel from the traffic and health departments.

One eyewitness told The Global Times the pile-up stretched several kilometres long, and that moisture on the bridge made the road particularly slippery.

In some areas, visibility that morning was only 200 metres, according to Reuters, citing the local meteorology agency.

Several hours after the pile-up, police issued a warning for cars not to cross the bridge due to the fog.

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"In the winter the temperature is low and there is often heavy fog," traffic police posted on their official account on Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

It reminded drivers to slow down, use their lights, and to leave dangerous areas as quickly as possible.

The overpass connects Zhengzhou with the city of Xinxiang.

Police shut down the bridge during rescue operations, with traffic resuming later that afternoon.

SH63 is now closed near the Spray River Bridge.

Police say three prisoners have escaped from a low security prison in Darwin.

The trio of aboriginal men absconded from Darwin Correctional Precinct at Holtze last night.

Dylan Mamarika, 29, Rogan Lalara, 33, and Jamian Bara Bara, 38, left at 10.40pm.

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All three are of medium builds with short black hair and were wearing long sleeved, high visibility yellow shirts which are blue from the elbows down, and dark blue shorts.

NT Police said they don't know which way the men went.

"The Crime Division is currently leading the search efforts to locate the prisoners," Detective Senior Sergeant Karl Day said.

“We are in this terrible state of limbo and we’ve not even been able to sleep” – tourist

Scrub fire likely suspicious, cause still under investigation.

Police are searching for a man after the suspicious death of a woman in Melbourne's CBD earlier this week.

The 31-year-old Chinese national's body was located by friends at about 8.40pm on Tuesday at a Latrobe Street apartment.

Detectives are searching for 22-year-old Xiaozheng Lin, who they said was known to the victim.

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He is known to frequent the Oakleigh and Box Hill areas.

The Huntingdale man is described as about 170cm tall with an average build, black hair and brown eyes. It's believed he may have recently shaved or cut his hair.

Police are urging Lin to hand himself in. Anyone who sees him Lin is urged not to approach him and to call triple zero (000) immediately.

The scale of the outbreak in China has prompted some nations to impose new travel rules.

A homicide investigation has been launched after a father and daughter's bodies were found inside a burnt-out shed in Queensland.

Baker Todd Mooney, 54, and his daughter Kirra, 10, were found dead after fire tore through a large shed at their home on Fenwicks Road, Biggenden about 12.20pm on December 20.

Mooney had been due to marry his long-term partner at the property this week.

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Police have today revealed they believe the fire, which took several hours to extinguish, was deliberately lit.

The SES has helped search the property and a neighbouring paddock today as police investigate the deaths.

Anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage in the area at the time is urged to contact police.

Firefighters battled blaze at Whangaroa, Northland, with one home evacuated.