Horrific Video Shows China’s Ambitious Bridge Collapsing Into Dust Just Months After Opening

A recently built bridge in China has collapsed just months after opening, stunning citizens and raising questions over the safety of the country’s rapid infrastructure expansion.

The 2,487-foot Hongqi Bridge, which connects Sichuan province with Tibet as part of a national highway, came crashing down on Tuesday morning (November 11) after a landslide struck the mountainous area, sending concrete slabs and debris plummeting into a river below.

The impactful images of the collapse soon went viral, showing the bridge folding in on itself amid a thick cloud of dust.

Authorities confirmed that there were no casualties, as the bridge had been closed a day earlier, but viewers are already sharing theories about the true nature of the disaster.

One of China’s most ambitious bridges collapsed mere months after opening

Damaged ambitious bridge in China collapsing into dust months after opening in a mountainous landscape under a partly cloudy sky.

Image credits: HighestBridges

Local police in the Sichuan city of Ma’erkang, also known by its Tibetan name Barkam, had already shut down traffic on Monday afternoon after engineers noticed structural warning signs on the slopes and roads above the bridge.

“The slopes were showing visible deformation,” a local government statement said.

“The situation worsened on Tuesday, leading to a massive landslide that caused the bridge to fracture and collapse.”

Dust and debris billow as China's ambitious bridge collapses into a rocky gorge just months after opening.

Image credits: TaraBull

The footage shows the structure’s middle section giving way as the landslide hits, its long concrete span snapping like a twig before crashing into the valley below.

The Hongqi Bridge had only been completed earlier this year, and was supposed to be a vital route connecting Sichuan’s heartland to the Tibetan plateau. Now, its skeletal remains lie in the river it once crossed.

For critics, its ruin is symbolic of China’s infrastructure boom, characterized by speed and scale over long-term safety.

The collapse is the latest in a string of infrastructure failures across China’s rapidly expanding transportation network

Bridge collapsing into dust with large cloud of debris near mountainous area and body of water in China.

Image credits: TaraBull

For instance, in July 2024, a highway bridge in Shaanxi province partially collapsed, taking the lives of at least 11 people.

In 2022, a building collapsed in Changsha, central China, with a fatality toll of 26 residents. The tragedy resulted in the arrest of at least 9 individuals connected with its construction on suspicion of ignoring safety regulations.

Horrific video showing China's ambitious bridge collapsing into a massive cloud of dust just months after opening over water.

Image credits: TaraBull

The collapse of the Honqi Bridge, on the other hand, appears to have been the result of a combination of unfavorable terrain conditions.

Tweet criticizing China's ambitious bridge collapsing into dust just months after opening, highlighting concerns about build quality.

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Screenshot of a tweet criticizing Chinese quality control amid an ambitious bridge collapsing into dust months after opening.

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Sichuan itself sits on one of China’s most unstable fault zones, where the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake ended more than 69,000 people’s lives.

Experts say that the terrain, combined with heavy rainfall and steep gradients, makes large-scale construction particularly risky.

Partially built ambitious bridge in China spanning a deep valley with construction equipment and mountainous backdrop.

Image credits: HighestBridges

The Hongqi Bridge was allegedly designed to withstand such conditions, but its destruction just months after completion has raised many questions about planning and oversight in China’s multi-billion-dollar infrastructure push.

Netizens questioned the decision to build the bridge in a geologically volatile area prone to landslides

Aerial view of China's ambitious bridge collapsing into dust months after opening, showing debris and a yellow construction crane.

Image credits: HighestBridges

Online, users debated what might have caused the failure.

“Apparently slope deformation, so perhaps less a structural issue than a planning one,” one commenter wrote in an engineering forum.

“So basically the slope that the bridge was constructed on deformed from the weight and caused the bridge to collapse?” another user asked.

Tweet discussing the engineering failure related to China's ambitious bridge collapsing into dust months after opening.

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Screenshot of a tweet explaining that a landslide caused China’s ambitious bridge to collapse months after opening.

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A user, identifying themselves as a civil engineer, gave a more detailed explanation:

“The ground at the toe, the edge between walls and floor, failed, creating a cavity that traveled uphill. The mass of earth broke the anchoring, allowing the deck to start moving sideways. Bridges aren’t designed to move like that.”

In other words, the foundation beneath the bridge, not the bridge itself, appears to have given way.

Aerial view of China’s ambitious bridge spanning a deep valley over a river, showing ongoing construction and cranes nearby.

Image credits: HighestBridges

The exact cause remains under investigation by Sichuan authorities, but experts suggest that poor slope stabilization or inadequate geological surveying may have played a role.

Crazy footage shows China’s Hongqi bridge collapsing months after opening pic.twitter.com/rpitd5JAGu

— TaraBull (@TaraBull) November 11, 2025

The Ministry of Transport has sent inspection teams to assess the damage and determine whether other nearby structures could be at risk. For now, the entire section of the highway connecting Sichuan and Tibet remains closed.

Despite the lack of casualties, the collapse has become a national talking point, especially given that it was meant to symbolize the strength and unity of China’s western development projects.

“Horrific.” Netizens were relieved to learn that no one was hurt during the bridge’s collapse

Tweet by Jessie Standridge expressing concern about a horrific event, hope no one was hurt, related to China bridge collapse.

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Tweet by Benjamin Way expressing concern over China's ambitious bridge collapsing into dust, hoping no loss of life occurred.

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User reaction to video of China's ambitious bridge collapsing into dust just months after opening.

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Twitter reply stating At least no one hurt in response to China's ambitious bridge collapsing into dust.

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Twitter reply from a user expressing hope that local people were fine after China's ambitious bridge collapsed into dust just months after opening.

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Tweet text about China’s ambitious bridge collapsing into dust, highlighting skepticism on China’s technological advancements.

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Tweet discussing mysterious quality control issues after the collapse of China's ambitious bridge just months after opening

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A tweet from Francisco replying to TaraBull saying somebody is in trouble, referencing a bridge collapse in China.

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Screenshot of a Twitter reply criticizing the quality of made-in-China products amid a bridge collapse controversy.

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Tweet screenshot showing a user commenting it looks like an earthquake avalanche amid China's ambitious bridge collapse.

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Tweet screenshot showing a user commenting on China's ambitious bridge collapsing into dust months after opening.

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Tweet praising an engineering marvel, posted by LetsGoBFLO, reacting to a video of China’s ambitious bridge collapsing.

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Tweet text mentioning Temu construction supplies as a bargain in response to a Twitter user, posted by The Anima Digitalis.

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User tweet questioning construction decisions after a Chinese bridge collapse, highlighting concerns about landslides and safety.

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Comment discussing the partial collapse of China’s ambitious bridge, highlighting terrain risks despite good construction.

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Tweet about landslip risks and shortsighted decisions related to building China's ambitious new bridge months after opening.

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