Historic Gokteik Bridge Destroyed Amid Escalating Civil Conflict

A colonial-era marvel, the Gokteik Viaduct—once the tallest railway trestle in the world and a revered symbol of engineering heritage in Myanmar was destroyed on August 24, 2025, amid escalating fighting in Shan State.
Standing 102 meters above a gorge on the Mandalay-Lashio rail route, the 125-year-old bridge linked Mandalay with northern Shan State and attracted tourists for its dramatic steel structure.
The ruling military junta accused anti-coup armed groups, including the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and People's Defence Forces, of planting explosives or using mines to demolish the bridge. In contrast, the TNLA blamed the junta, claiming its forces used drone strikes targeting rebel positions but inadvertently struck the landmark.
Videos and images circulating on social media show significant collapse and damage to the structure, signaling a major blow to both the region’s infrastructure and cultural heritage.
As Myanmar’s civil war intensifies, this destruction deepens the humanitarian and historical toll, cutting rail links to northern regions and compounding challenges in an already volatile environment.

Sources: The Guardian, Reuters