Do you remember just recently when this massive and quite intimidating bridge was constructed in China? The bridge called Hongqi Bridge was built in Maerkang which is located in Sichuan Province (southwest China). The bridge is approximately 758 meters long and had been completed only months earlier. It looked like this: It even boasted a Restaurant inside the tallest peak: Now just shortly after opening, the bridge has suffered a collapse. It is a PARTIAL collapse only, but it looks horrific. Watch this stunning Before/After video: Here’s a quick summary of all we know so far: What is verified A bridge called Hongqi Bridge in Maerkang, Sichuan Province (southwest China), suffered a partial collapse. The bridge is approximately 758 meters long and had been completed only months earlier. Local authorities reported that slope instability / mountain terrain shifting was observed near the bridge prior to the collapse. No deaths were reported. The part that failed was the approach span and roadbed, not the full main span. What the authorities claim caused it Officials state the cause was “mountain slope failure” — meaning the ground supporting part of the approach section moved, leading to a collapse of that section.This is effectively the same as saying landslide-triggered structural failure.However, this does not settle whether: The design accounted for known slope instability, Construction quality was adequate, Or the geological survey was flawed. Those questions are typically examined only after a formal investigation. Key clarifications It was a partial collapse, not the entire bridge falling. The timeline — “opened recently, collapsed months later” — is accurate. The explanation of geotechnical failure is plausible on its face, especially in mountainous Sichuan, which is known for unstable slopes and seismic activity. Whether this was engineering negligence or unpredictable terrain movement is still not determined. Bottom line The event did happen, the location and timeline are accurate, and officials are attributing it to mountain slope failure.But the deeper question — was this a natural slope collapse or preventable design/engineering failure? — remains unresolved until the investigation concludes. If this story seems familiar, that’s because this is far from the first time this has happened recently in China. This video does a great job summarizing all the other recent bridge collapses: Reuters added these details: Part of a recently opened bridge collapsed in China’s southwestern province of Sichuan along a national highway linking the country’s heartland with Tibet on Tuesday, local authorities said, but there were no reports of casualties. Police in the city of Maerkang had closed the 758-metre-long Hongqi bridge to all traffic on Monday afternoon, after cracks appeared on nearby slopes and roads, and shifts were seen in the terrain of a mountain, the local government said.