US President George W Bush has visited the site of a motorway bridge over the Mississippi river which collapsed on Wednesday.

Bush praised the 'determination and compassion' of those involved in the tragedy, and vowed to rebuild the bridge as soon as possible.

The US Congress has voted to allocate $250 million (£122 million) to help rebuild the Minnesota bridge.

At least five people died during the collapse, and eight are still missing.

About 50 vehicles were thrown into the water when large sections of the I-35W bridge in Minneapolis gave way without warning.

Searches for the remaining victims continued, but were hampered by strong currents and difficult weather conditions.

Meanwhile families of the missing gathered at a Red Cross centre to share photos and stories about their loved ones, the Associated Press news agency said.