A tense moment unfolded this morning, June 24, 2025, when the Houzi River Grand Bridge, part of the G76 expressway connecting Guizhou and Guangxi, gave way following successive days of heavy rainfall and a triggering landslide.
A cargo truck carrying a lone driver ended up dangling precariously above a deep ravine. The driver, gripping onto his cabin, was spared a fatal fall only due to the weight of his attached trailer, effectively anchoring him in mid‑air. A bystander, capturing the harrowing scene on video, exclaimed, “You’re lucky to be alive… wait for the fire service, there’s no signal.”
Authorities admit that in the early hours, patrols noticed unusual deformation in the bridge’s structure and immediately put restrictions on northbound traffic. Despite these precautions, the bridge still collapsed.
Emergency teams, including transport and public security departments, rushed to secure the site, initiate rescue operations, and divert traffic. The driver was successfully pulled to safety and confirmed to be uninjured. Other heavy vehicles that were parked nearby were found in the valley below, but thankfully unoccupied.
The root cause appears to be relentless rainfall that saturated nearby slopes, triggering a landslide that undermined the bridge’s foundations. Guizhou province is currently under severe flood threat, with weather forecasts warning of the “worst flooding in 30 years” in Rongjiang County, where multiple rivers are swelling beyond their banks.
An investigation into the collapse is underway. Meanwhile, authorities have issued evacuation orders in Rongjiang County, relocating more than 70,000 residents from high‑risk zones near the Pingyong, Zhaihao, and Duliu rivers.
This incident highlights how vulnerable critical infrastructure can be under extreme weather conditions. Despite early warning signs, the speed at which events unfolded serves as a reminder of how rapidly weather-triggered disasters can escalate.
I mean, just imagine sitting in a truck cabin, dangling hundreds of feet above a valley floor, the ground giving way beneath you, and realizing your only lifeline is gravity pulling on a trailer behind you. In that split second, fear, hope, and vulnerability all converge. Thanks to vigilant road patrols and swift emergency services, the truck driver is alive today, and his story is a testament to the resilience of individuals and teams in crisis.
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