Overview
- A section of the 758-metre Hongqi Bridge in Maerkang, Sichuan, fell into the river Tuesday after approach spans and the roadbed gave way.
- Authorities reported no injuries as rescue and inspection teams cordoned off the site.
- Police halted traffic on Monday due to visible ground shifts and cracks on nearby slopes.
- Local officials attribute the failure to landslides and cite reservoir-related water accumulation as a likely factor pending investigation.
- The bridge, part of a national highway linking China’s interior to the Tibetan Plateau, opened earlier this year and was promoted by contractor Sichuan Road & Bridge Group.