Partially collapsed Carola Bridge in Dresden, Germany in September 2024. (Source: SG-IMBTUDD under CC BY-SA 4.0)
Additional sections of a bridge across the Elbe River in the East German town of Dresden collapsed over the weekend, again prompting a 72 hour halt to shipping.
The more than 50-year old Carola bridge, constructed by the former East German state in 1971, partially collapsed in September 2024. A sign of the aging infrastructure across thousands of rail and road bridges in the country.
The original collapse had occurred along a length of 100 meters over the central span. A light rail train had just completed a crossing when the concrete gave way shortly before 3am. No casualties were reported.
Over the weekend additional steel elements collapsed, further impeding shipping traffic. The shipping channel had reopened a month earlier after a four-months closure. Since the end of January vessels had been allowed to pass under the still standing sections of the bridge single file with prior authorization.
The Elbe is a major Central European waterway traversing the Czech Republic and much of eastern and northern Germany. The country’s largest deepwater port, Hamburg, is situated along its shores from where it enters the North Sea around 60 nautical miles further north.
If no additional fractures or movement in the concrete elements are observed during the next 72 hours authorities plan to allow controlled access under the bridge again. Removal work on the collapsed and still standing sections is slated to begin in the coming weeks to be completed by the end of the year.
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