Newly Opened Hongqi Bridge Collapses After Massive Landslide in China
It was a shocking sight in China’s Sichuan province when the newly built Hongqi Bridge — a massive 760-meter-long structure — partially collapsed just months after opening. The bridge, which had only recently started operating earlier this year, was meant to serve as a crucial link between Sichuan and Tibet. Instead, it’s now making headlines for all the wrong reasons after a devastating landslide caused part of it to crumble dramatically into the river below.
According to reports from local authorities, the incident happened after growing concerns about the stability of the nearby mountainside. On Monday, officials had already shut down traffic across the bridge once cracks appeared on surrounding slopes and roads. But by Tuesday afternoon, conditions took a dangerous turn for the worse. Landslides started rolling down the mountain, sending tons of earth and debris crashing directly onto the bridge.
Footage circulating online shows the terrifying moment the structure gave way — large clouds of dust billowed into the sky as sections of the Hongqi Bridge collapsed under the sheer weight of the falling rubble. Within moments, parts of the bridge disappeared into the river below, leaving behind a trail of shattered concrete and twisted metal.
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Thankfully, no casualties have been reported so far. Authorities credit the earlier road closure for preventing what could have been a far greater tragedy. Local police in Maerkang, who had acted quickly after spotting the early warning signs, likely saved many lives by restricting access before the collapse occurred.
The Hongqi Bridge had been constructed by the Sichuan Road and Bridge Group and completed earlier this year. It was a major infrastructure project designed to improve transportation between China’s heartland and the Tibetan Plateau — an area known for its challenging terrain and frequent geological activity.
This disaster has sparked a fresh wave of scrutiny over construction practices in the region, especially given how new the bridge was. Many on social media expressed disbelief that such a recently completed structure could fail so quickly. Experts suggest that while the construction itself may not have been directly flawed, the unpredictable landslide conditions in mountainous Sichuan often make engineering projects in the area extremely high-risk.
Right now, emergency teams are monitoring the site to ensure no further collapse occurs and to assess the extent of the damage. Officials have said that investigations will be launched to determine whether any design or environmental oversights contributed to the incident.
For now, what remains of the Hongqi Bridge stands as a stark reminder of how powerful and unpredictable nature can be — even in the face of modern engineering.
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