A nearly 2,500-foot bridge that just opened earlier this year in southwest China partially collapsed Tuesday. Local officials say a landslide “caused the collapse of the roadbed and approach ramp in that section.” Video verified by Reuters shows giant dust plumes overtaking much of the structure.
Footage of the collapse first made its way to social media, where a section of the bridge is seen breaking apart, as clouds of dust sweep across the mountainside and columns from the bridge fall into the river below. The remainder of the bridge is then seen hanging over the water.
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There were no reports of casualties, with officials noting that authorities had already redirected traffic away from the bridge and sectioned off the area just a day before the collapse. Local officials had reportedly found cracks in the bridge and instability in the surrounding mountainous terrain.
Bridge touted as major infrastructure feat
The structure had linked the nation’s heartland with Tibet after it opened in April and was touted as a major engineering milestone by local officials. The construction of the bridge reportedly cost around $1.3 million and took just short of two years to finish.
According to The Washington Post, the contractor that manages the bridge, Sichuan Road & Bridge Group, had removed promotions of the bridge’s opening from its website after the collapse.
China ramped up its state-funded infrastructure projects to spark economic growth, particularly for inland regions, as coastal areas have often received more financial support for improving infrastructure.
Safety concerns over breakneck infrastructure projects
However, the rapid expansion and speed of infrastructure development in China has raised safety concerns. This summer, multiple workers were reportedly killed after a mile-long bridge under construction in the northwest part of the country collapsed when a steel cable snapped.
