Story out of Chy-na:
The Hongqi bridge connected Sichuan and Tibet, and was opened just weeks ago in late September. It sounds like a landslide set off the collapse.
From Newsweek:
Local officials said that worsening mountain conditions triggered landslides, which in turn caused the approach bridge and roadbed to collapse.
The first signs of trouble appeared on Monday, when slope deformation was detected on the right bank of the bridge section of the highway in Maerkang City. Local authorities immediately launched an emergency response. By 11 p.m., all stranded vehicles had been evacuated, and warning signs were placed at the site to restrict unauthorized entry, according to the local paper Sichuan Daily.
An interesting note that I'll let Newsweek spell out:
Chinese authorities often describe such accidents as isolated events or the result of 'natural disasters,' such as landslides or flooding. Yet construction safety experts and international observers continue to question the country's regulatory oversight and the rapid pace of development in areas vulnerable to seismic or environmental risks.
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