Hongqi Bridge In China's Sichuan Partially Collapses Due To Landslide, Massive Dust Cloud Caught On Camera

A newly opened bridge in China’s southwestern Sichuan province partially collapsed on Tuesday due to landslides. The 758-metre-long Hongqi Bridge partially collapsed a day after cracks appeared on nearby slopes.

Authorities had closed the bridge on Monday after cracks appeared on nearby slopes and roads, according to a South China Morning Post report. By Tuesday, the mountain-side conditions worsened. Subsequently, landslides triggered the partial collapse of the bridge, officials were quoted as saying by the BBC.

No casualties have been reported so far. Emergency teams were dispatched to secure the area. Meanwhile, local authorities are assessing the damage and monitoring the slopes for further risks.

The construction was completed earlier this year by contractors Sichuan Road and Bridge Group. It was part of a highway that links the nation’s heartland with Tibet, according to Reuters. The bridge was opened to the public in January 2025.

Several videos of the shocking moment of the bridge’s collapse have emerged on social media. A harrowing video shows the landslide striking the bridge, sending rubble crashing onto the structure. A part of the bridge appeared to plunge into the river below, leading to the formation of a massive dust cloud.

The bridge spanned 625 metres from the base to the bottom of the gorge, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The structure stood close to the Shuangjiangku Hydropower Station and dam, which are under construction in a gorge along the Dadu River.

The Shuangjiangku Hydropower Station dam, once completed, will be the tallest in the world. It began storing water on May 1, bringing the project closer to operation.

Located in Sichuan province’s Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, the project costs $4.9 billion and has been under construction for nearly a decade. It is designed to generate electricity and help with flood control, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.