Impoundment of world’s future tallest dam suspected as trigger.

In Brief by Probe International

For the original article this summary is based on, see the publisher’s website here: The 11 November 2025 Landslide at Hongqi Bridge in China | Eos science news magazine

Just six months after the Shuangjiangkou Dam — soon to be the world’s tallest at 315 meters — began filling its massive reservoir, a landslide sheared away a portion of the downstream Hongqi Bridge on Nov. 11 in Sichuan province.

In their review, Eos science magazine points to a perfect storm: steep excavated slopes, rising groundwater from rapid impoundment of the dam’s reservoir, pre-existing cracks, and a history of unstable terrain. The bridge was wisely closed the day before when cracks appeared — preventing casualties — but the vital route between central China and Tibet is now severed.

As water levels keep climbing in the new reservoir, Eos warns many more slopes in the area may pose a further danger: “an abundance of caution is needed.”

See also: The Lesson of Hongqi Grand Bridge