The stone structure fell away on Friday, about a mile away from where three people died in a rail incident in August.

Network Rail said the height and rural location made the repair a “complex” situation for teams to assess.

A spokesperson said: “We’re making good progress in assessing the damage to the bridge parapet, but the height of the structure and rural location make this a complex job to carry out safely.

“Assessment of the bridge continues over the coming days as we plan its repair.

“The line will remain closed this week and we’ll provide more updates when we have them.

“We’ll work around-the-clock to reopen the line quickly and safely for passenger and freight services.”

ICE Scotland director, Hannah Smith, said: “This is just another example of why there must be an urgent audit of our infrastructure. We must identify priorities for maintenance and adaptation to mitigate against the increasing incidences of extreme weather.

“We can no longer wait to guarantee our infrastructure is as resilient as possible in the face of our climate emergency.”

The Dundee to Aberdeen railway line only reopened in November, having been closed for almost three months following the derailment of a train near Stonehaven in August.

A passenger, conductor and the driver died when the Aberdeen to Glasgow service came off the tracks on August 12 following heavy rain.

An interim report published in September said the train hit washed-out rocks and gravel.