Cargo ship ploughs into bridge in Guangzhou, China (video)

Chaos erupted as a colossal cargo ship collided with a vital bridge spanning the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China.

The city, located in the southern region, was rattled this morning when the vessel smashed into the Lixinsha bridge, propelling vehicles into the murky depths below.

Authorities swiftly descended upon the scene, scrambling to manage traffic pandemonium while launching a full-scale investigation. Despite their efforts, the extent of casualties remains shrouded in uncertainty, leaving locals on edge.

Dramatic images captured by state broadcaster CCTV unveiled the grim aftermath: the once-sturdy Lixinsha bridge now lay fractured, with the ship wedged ominously beneath its compromised structure. The ill-fated vessel had been en route from Foshan’s Nanhai district to Nansha, its intended destination.

This critical bridge, vital for connecting Guangzhou to neighbouring cities such as Zhongshan and Shenzhen within the Greater Bay Area (GBA), had undergone reinforcement as recently as 2022. Reports from the city’s maritime safety administration indicate a series of anti-collision and strengthening measures implemented between April and September of that year.

Nansha, situated at the southern frontier of Guangdong province, occupies a pivotal role in the ambitious Greater Bay Area (GBA) project. Positioned as a hub for technological advancement, the district stands as a beacon of progress in the government’s grand scheme to fuse 11 southern Chinese cities into an economic juggernaut, reported the South China Morning Post.

Under this ambitious plan, Nansha is slated to become the epicentre of scientific collaboration with the nearby territories of Hong Kong and Macau. The central government’s unwavering commitment to fostering cross-border partnerships is exemplified by initiatives such as the establishment of the University of Science and Technology’s Guangzhou campus within Nansha’s precincts, inaugurated just last year.

In related news, a powerful land earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck China on January 23, causing tremors felt across four countries, followed by 17 aftershocks ranging from magnitudes 4.1 to 5.8. The incident took place today early this morning as reported by the Disaster Management Centre of the Department of Mineral Resources at 1.09am local Thai time. The earthquake’s epicentre was located at a depth of 13 kilometres.