This is the moment strong winds swept a fleet of cargo ships into a bridge in China.

The incident happened during high winds on September 2, when the dry bulk carriers tore free from their anchors and smashed into each other in Wuzhou, Guangxi, China. The ships were filmed crashing into the bridge around 4 am.

The local traffic management organisation, the public security bureau of Teng County, in China's Guangxi Province, issued a warning that the bridge may no longer be fit to use after the incident on September 3.

They announced that traffic controls would be introduced to reduce vehicle numbers and that experts would inspect the bridge for damage caused by the collisions.

While pedestrian access to the bridge remains unrestricted, Teng County officials advised parents against sending their children to school.

A spokesman said they prioritised safety over everything else, closing the bridge and some schools and warning that it was unlikely to change soon.

The Tengxian Xijiang Bridge is 16.5 metres wide and has 40 piers.

Construction of the bridge began at the end of 1995 and was officially opened to traffic on October 15, 2003.

The bridge connects National Highway 321 in the north and the Guangxi Nanning-Wuzhou Secondary Highway in the south. It is one of the convenient channels connecting the Southwest with Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao.