New Chinese bridge collapses in Sichuan Province near highway construction

A massive bridge at a hydroelectric dam in southwestern China collapsed on Tuesday, sending concrete and steel into a river just months after it opened, Chinese state media reported.

Reuters reported that an official from Barkam County confirmed the collapse to the Chinese state-run Global Times and that no casualties were reported.

The report stated that cracks were detected in the road surface and slope of the bridge the day before, which led authorities to impose temporary traffic controls.

Images of the collapse shared widely on Chinese social media showed the Hongqi Bridge in Sichuan Province buckling and a huge cloud of dust rising before falling into the river below.

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According to China Central Television (CCTV) News, the incident occurred near the G317 national highway at around 15:00 local time.

Local transportation and public safety bureaus said Monday afternoon that the slope on the right side of the bridge showed signs of deformation just a few hours before it collapsed.

Authorities quickly closed the structure to all traffic and issued a public warning regarding potential safety risks.

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The Hongqi Bridge near a hydroelectric power plant in southwestern China collapsed into the river below in a dramatic failure captured on camera on November 11, 2025. (Reuters)

According to Times Now, the Hongqi Bridge was located in the mountainous Maerkang region of Sichuan Province and was completed earlier this year as part of the G317 national highway, a key road connecting central China with Tibet.

The 758-meter-long cantilevered two-lane girder bridge stood approximately 625 meters above the gorge floor, with the piers reaching up to 172 meters in height. It was built by the state-backed Sichuan Road and Bridge Group as part of efforts to expand access to the Tibetan Plateau.

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Parts of the Hongqi Bridge fell into the river during the catastrophic collapse in Sichuan’s Maerkang district on November 11, 2025, and an investigation was immediately launched. (Reuters)

The bridge’s construction was part of a broader government effort to improve connectivity and spur economic growth in western China’s rugged terrain, Times Now reported.

It was intended to serve as a symbol of the country’s infrastructure ambitions but was reopened to traffic only a few months before the collapse; This meant a short-lived episode for what was supposed to be a showcase of China’s engineering progress.

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State-run broadcasters have yet to determine the cause of the collapse, but initial assessments suggest geological instability may have played a role. Authorities said there were no vehicles or pedestrians on the bridge at the time and investigations were ongoing.

Reuters contributed to this report.