Refer China: Terrifying moment ：new Chinese bridge collapses into mountainside

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A newly opened bridge in China collapsed into a mountainside, sending plumes of dust and slabs of concrete into the water below.

Footage of the partial collapse of the Hongqi Bridge, in the Sichuan province, were shared widely on Chinese social media on Tuesday.

Footage of the partial collapse of the Hongqi Bridge, in the Sichuan province, were shared widely on Chinese social media on Tuesday

Authorities had closed the 2,486ft-long bridge, which links the country's heartland to Tibet, a day prior after cracks appeared in its structure and on the nearby slopes and roads.

But conditions on the mountainside worsened significantly by Tuesday afternoon, triggering landslides, which led to the bridge collapsing, officials said.

Clips of the terrifying incident shared on various social media platforms captured the moment the bridge gave way and crumbled into the open water below.

Huge plumes of dust erupted as the heavy concrete crashed into the mountainside.

Remnants from the bridge could be seen in piles on the side of the mountain, while the opposite end of the structure appeared to still be intact as it stands over the river.

Miraculously, there were no reported injuries following the incident.

Construction of the bridge had only finished earlier this year, according to a social media post by contractors Sichuan Road and Bridge Group.

Sichuan province is known for its high seismic activity. The highway runs through the area that was devastated by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, which killed nearly 70,000 people.

The disaster was blamed in part on poor construction, with Tuesday's sudden collapse sparking fresh fears on whether sufficient geological surveys were carried out.

Local authorities are attempting to downplay the incident, describing it as an isolated natural event.

The collapse comes just months after another major incident which saw a railway bridge under construction in Qinghai province collapse in August, killing at least 12 workers.

Only completed in January this year, the giant Hongqi bridge was part of China's broader strategy to spur economic growth in poorer mountainous regions, intended as a symbol of its infrastructure ambitions.

The country has invested heavily into building roads, highways and rail lines. In September, China unveiled the world's tallest bridge in neighbouring Guizhou province.

The record-breaking Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge stands approximately 2,050ft above the Beipan River following three years and eight months of construction.

It connects major tourist spots in the region and cuts travel time across the canyon from two hours down to two minutes.