A newly opened bridge in south-west China collapsed on Tuesday, sending slabs of concrete and plumes of dust into the mountainside and water below. No casualties were reported.

According to reports, there was one truck on the bridge at the time of the collapse. The driver was successfully rescued.

Authorities had closed the 758-metre-long bridge on Monday after cracks appeared on nearby roads. A landslide on Tuesday caused part of the bridge to collapse completely.

Conditions on the mountainside then worsened on Tuesday afternoon, with continuous heavy rainfall triggering landslides and causing the collapse of the approach bridge and roadbed.

The bridge is located on a highway linking the country’s heartland with Tibet.

An investigation into the cause of the collapse has been launched.