No casualties were reported following the collapse of a highway bridge in Guizhou on Tuesday morning, which was attributed to a landslide induced by prolonged heavy rainfall.
The incident occurred at 7.40 am when a section of the Houzihé Grand Bridge, part of the Xiamen–Chengdu Expressway (also known as the Xiarong Expressway), collapsed.
According to local reports, transportation authorities detected structural deformation in the bridge during a patrol inspection at 5.51 am on Tuesday, and subsequently implemented traffic control measures for the uphill lanes. The two-way traffic control has been enforced by 7.11 am.
At the time of the collapse, one truck was on the bridge but the driver was unharmed and rescued. No casualties were reported at the scene.
An investigation into the cause of the collapse is currently ongoing, along with follow-up work.
Separately, the Rongjiang County government has reported that water levels in the Pingyong River, Zhaihao River, and Duliu River are rising rapidly, with projections indicating that they may exceed levels associated with a once-in-30-year flood event.
(Staff reporter and Global Times)
