In a startling incident, the recently inaugurated Hongqi Bridge in China’s Sichuan province collapsed into a river on Tuesday afternoon following a large-scale landslide. The event, captured in widely shared videos, shows the mountainside failing and parts of the 758-meter bridge succumbing to the force. This bridge serves as a vital artery for the national highway connecting central China to Tibet. Authorities confirmed zero casualties, crediting a timely closure implemented just before the collapse.
Concerns were raised on Monday when engineers detected early warning signs, including terrain shifts and slope cracks. This prompted Maerkang city police to close the Hongqi Bridge to all traffic. The situation rapidly deteriorated on Tuesday, with worsening geological conditions unleashing a significant landslide. The landslide’s impact on the bridge’s foundation and approach structures led to its catastrophic failure.
Initial assessments suggest that geological instability, a known issue in this steep and active mountainous region, is the main culprit. The premature failure of the Hongqi Bridge, a project by the state-affiliated Sichuan Road & Bridge Group finished this year, has prompted scrutiny of infrastructure development standards. A comprehensive technical investigation has been launched to determine if structural or design weaknesses contributed to the disaster. The incident draws parallels to a fatal railway bridge collapse in Qinghai province earlier this year, raising broader questions about infrastructure safety in China.