• Newly opened bridge collapses in Sichuan
• Landslides blamed, no injuries reported

A recently completed bridge in China’s southwestern Sichuan province partially collapsed, sending concrete and steel plunging into a river, just months after it opened, according to Chinese state media

Authorities had closed the 758-meter-long Hongqi Bridge on Monday after cracks appeared on nearby slopes and roads

By Tuesday afternoon, worsening conditions on the mountainside triggered landslides that caused part of the bridge to collapse, officials said

There were no reports of injuries

Videos shared widely on Chinese social media showed the bridge bending before falling into the river below, creating a large dust cloud

The incident occurred around 3 p.m. local time near the G317 national highway

The bridge is located in the mountainous Maerkang area of Sichuan and was part of a national highway connecting central China to Tibet, aimed at improving infrastructure and boosting economic growth in the region

Originally intended as a symbol of China’s engineering progress, the bridge collapsed just months after reopening to traffic

State media has not officially confirmed the cause, though early assessments suggest unstable soil may have contributed. No vehicles or pedestrians were on the bridge at the time, and investigations are ongoing