A huge bridge at a hydroelectric power station in southwestern China collapsed on Tuesday, sending concrete and steel into a river just months after it opened, according to Chinese state media.
Reuters reported that a Barkam County official confirmed the collapse to Chinese state-owned Global Times and said no casualties had been reported.
The report added that cracks had been discovered in the road surface and slope of the bridge a day earlier, prompting authorities to impose temporary traffic controls.
Footage of the collapse, shared widely on Chinese social media, showed the Hongqi Bridge in Sichuan province buckling before falling into the river below, sending up a huge cloud of dust.
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Dust and debris rose over the gorge after the Hongqi Bridge collapsed in Sichuan province on November 11, 2025, following reports of cracks a day earlier. (Reuters)
According to China Central Television (CCTV) News, the incident took place near the G317 National Highway around 3 p.m. local time.
Local transportation and public safety agencies said the slope on the bridge’s right bank showed signs of deformation Monday afternoon, just hours before the collapse.
Authorities quickly closed the structure to all traffic and publicly warned of potential safety risks.
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The Hongqi Bridge at a hydroelectric power station in southwestern China collapsed into the river below on November 11, 2025, with a dramatic failure caught on camera. (Reuters)
According to Times Now, the Hongqi Bridge was located in the mountainous Maerkang area of ​​Sichuan province and was completed earlier this year as part of the G317 National Highway – a major route connecting Central China to Tibet.
The 758-meter-long, cantilevered, two-lane beam bridge stood approximately 625 meters above the canyon floor, with piers reaching 172 meters high. It was built by the state-backed Sichuan Road & 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 in a catastrophic collapse in Sichuan’s Maerkang area on November 11, 2025, prompting an immediate investigation. (Reuters)
The construction of the bridge was part of a broader government effort to improve connectivity and boost economic growth in western China’s rugged terrain, Times Now reported.
It was intended as a symbol of the country’s infrastructure ambitions but had only reopened to traffic a few months before its collapse, marking a short-lived chapter for what was meant to showcase China’s technical advances.
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State-owned companies have not yet identified the cause of the collapse, although early assessments suggest geological instability may have played a role. There were no vehicles or pedestrians on the bridge at the time, officials said, and investigations are ongoing.
Reuters contributed to this report.
