At least 13 people died and 19 were injured Monday in a series of rear-end collisions, involving at least 100 vehicles, on a highway in east China's Jiangxi Province.

The crashes occurred at around 6 a.m. at various sites on the Poyang Lake Bridge, part of the Jiujing Highway linking Jiujiang City to Jingdezhen City, said a Provincial Communications Department official.

The low visibility in the heavy fog and the ice on the bridge were blamed for the accidents, the official said. The fog lifted at noon, but the ice remained.

Rescue operations were continuing. The identities of the victims were unavailable.

The official did not reveal how many accidents occurred.