Watch: Bridge collapse in China's Sichuan after a sudden water burst

Dubai: In a dramatic incident in southwestern China, the newly built Hongqi Bridge in Sichuan Province partially collapsed just months after its completion. The 758-metre bridge, located in Maerkang, was closed to traffic on Monday after engineers detected cracks in the surrounding slopes and ground movement near the structure.

A day later, a powerful landslide triggered by a sudden burst from a nearby water reservoir caused the approach ramp and roadbed to give way, sending sections of the bridge plunging into the river below. Viral footage on Chinese social media platforms showed massive concrete pillars crumbling and clouds of dust sweeping across the valley.

Authorities confirmed that there were no casualties, as precautionary measures had already cleared the bridge of vehicles before the collapse. The Hongqi Bridge was part of a key route connecting central China to Tibet.

Regional officials have launched an investigation to determine whether engineering flaws, inadequate safety assessments, or geological instability caused the failure. Meanwhile, traffic has been diverted, and monitoring of nearby slopes has been intensified.

With inputs from Bloomberg