Part of the Hongqi Bridge in Sichuan province, Southwest China, collapsed on Tuesday along a national highway that connects China’s heartland with Tibet. Local authorities confirmed the collapse but said there were no reports of casualties so far. The bridge is 758 meters long and is located in the city of Maerkang.
Police had already closed the bridge to all traffic on Monday afternoon, a day before the collapse, as per the report by Reuters. The bridge was closed after cracks appeared on nearby slopes and roads, and shifts were seen in the terrain of a mountain close to it.
Bridge collapse caused by landslides
On Tuesday afternoon, the weather in the mountains became worse. This caused landslides. Because of the landslides, the approach bridge and the road were damaged and fell down. The Hongqi Bridge had been finished earlier this year, as shown in a video shared online by the builder, Sichuan Road & Bridge Group.
Police action and video evidence
Newsweek reported that the collapse happened after movements in the mountain terrain were noticed. The bridge was shut down a day before so that any major calamities could be avoided, as per police.
Video footage from the Global Times, a China state-run media outlet, showed huge clouds of dust rising from the river below right after the bridge collapsed. A Chinese state run media publication, Global times and another new org Brics News showed via a video footage accessed by its thick plumes of smoke and dust coming from the debris of the ruckus left behind by the collapse which was found inside the river, Above which the bridge was placed. The shift in the mountain has not yet been ascertained by experts, but many claim that the bridge would be built from scratch, the Reuters reported.
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FAQsQ1. Why did the Hongqi Bridge in China collapse?The Hongqi Bridge collapsed after landslides were triggered by mountain shifts near the site, according to local authorities.Q2. Were there any deaths in the Hongqi Bridge collapse?
No, officials said there were no casualties because police had closed the bridge a day before the collapse.
