Collapse of Newly Opened Bridge in Sichuan Sparks Landslide

BEIJING, China — Part of the newly constructed Hongqi bridge collapsed on Tuesday in Sichuan province, linking the heartland of China to Tibet, local officials reported. Fortunately, there have been no casualties linked to this incident.

On Monday afternoon, police in the city of Maerkang closed the 758-meter-long bridge to traffic after noticing cracks on nearby slopes and roads, along with unsettling shifts in the mountainous terrain. This alarm raised concerns about the stability of the bridge.

As conditions deteriorated on Tuesday, landslides were triggered, which ultimately caused the approach bridge and roadbed to collapse, according to the local government’s statement.

The construction of the Hongqi bridge was completed earlier this year, as highlighted by a video shared by Sichuan Road & Bridge Group on social media.

This incident underscores the challenges faced by infrastructure projects in mountainous areas, where shifts in geological conditions can lead to sudden and dangerous events.