A segment of the Great Wall of the Great Wall collapsed

A section of Van Ly Truong Thanh has a lifespan of 700 years and collapsed due to heavy rain along with nearby construction.

A passage of the Great Wall goes through Ha province
North, northern China collapsed. (Photo: Telegraph)

Prolonged heavy rains destroyed more than 30m of the Great Wall from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Xinhua announced on August 7.

The work of workers digging a square near the historic site in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, northern China is also thought to be the cause of the collapse of the ancient city wall.

"There is an investigation into the cause of the collapse. Among the factors that could cause a collapse including construction work," Telegraph quoted a city official as saying. Officials also said "conservation and reconstruction work is underway".

The Great Wall, becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, was built in the 7th century BC to combat foreign invaders. More than 50 wars occurred in Zhangjiakou for centuries and a collapsed piece of the wall was rebuilt in 1484 under the Ming Dynasty.

By October last year, 700m of ancient walls had collapsed in Laiyuan District, Hebei Province due to dozens of mines rising nearby, with a tunnel just 100m away from the monument.