A significant bridge at a hydropower station in Southwest China collapsed on Tuesday, hurling concrete and steel into the river mere months after its inauguration, as reported by Chinese state media.

According to Reuters, an official from Barkam County confirmed to the Chinese state-run Global Times that the collapse occurred, but fortunately, no casualties have been reported.

Prior to the incident, authorities had noticed cracks on the bridge’s road surface and slope just a day before, leading to the implementation of temporary traffic restrictions.

Footage capturing the dramatic collapse of the Hongqi Bridge in Sichuan Province was widely circulated on Chinese social media, revealing how the structure buckled and fell into the river, generating a massive cloud of dust.

Dust and debris filled the air over the gorge when the Hongqi Bridge gave way in Sichuan Province on November 11, 2025, following earlier reports of structural cracks. (Reuters)

The collapse took place at approximately 3 p.m. local time, near the G317 national highway, as reported by China Central Television (CCTV) News.

Local transportation and public security bureaus said the right-bank slope of the bridge showed signs of deformation Monday afternoon, just hours before the collapse.

Authorities quickly shut down the structure to all traffic and issued a public notice warning of potential safety risks.

The Hongqi Bridge near a hydropower station in southwest China collapsed into the river below on Nov. 11, 2025, in a dramatic failure that was caught on camera. (Reuters)

According to Times Now, the Hongqi Bridge was located in Sichuan Province’s mountainous Maerkang area and completed earlier this year as part of the G317 national highway—an important route connecting central China to Tibet.

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

Sections of the Hongqi Bridge fell into the river during a catastrophic collapse in Sichuan’s Maerkang area on Nov. 11, 2025, prompting an immediate investigation. (Reuters)

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

It was intended to serve as a symbol of the country’s infrastructure ambitions but had only reopened to traffic a few months before the collapse—marking a short-lived chapter for what was meant to showcase China’s engineering progress.

State-run outlets have not yet identified the cause of the collapse, though early assessments suggest geological instability may have played a role. No vehicles or pedestrians were on the bridge at the time, officials said, and investigations are underway.