Flooding postpones temporary bridge construction after collapse in northern Vietnam
Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 18:12 GMT+7
Rapidly rising floodwaters are hindering progress on the installation of a temporary pontoon bridge to replace the recently collapsed Phong Chau Bridge in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam.
As of Tuesday morning, 24 hours after the bridge collapse, authorities have preliminarily determined that 10 vehicles were on the bridge at the time of the accident.
This included one truck, two tractor-trailers, six motorbikes, and one electric motorbike.
Currently, eight people are missing, and three injured individuals are receiving treatment at the hospital. A senior police officer had estimated the figure at 10.
As Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper observed, officers were still stationed at the Phong Chau Bridge, which connects Lam Thao and Tam Nong Districts over the Red River in Phu Tho Province, on Tuesday morning.
They were regulating traffic and directing people to use a bypass between the two districts.
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| Officers are on duty at the site of the collapsed Phong Chau Bridge in Phu Tho Province, September 10, 2024. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre |
To address the situation, Colonel Nguyen Minh Tuan, director of the Phu Tho Department of Public Security, announced on Monday afternoon that long-term solutions include constructing a new bridge and implementing temporary measures such as pontoon bridges and ferries.
The pontoon bridge is planned to be installed about one kilometer from the collapsed bridge, in Huong Non and Kinh Ke Communes, both in Tam Nong District.
These locations were previously used as ferry terminals.
Preparations are underway, with authorities installing lighting and clearing tree branches to facilitate the transport of equipment and materials for the pontoon bridge installation.
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| Turbulent water flows through the remaining span of the collapsed Phong Chau Bridge in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, September 10, 2024. Photo: Duong Lieu / Tuoi Tre |
However, by Tuesday morning, strong currents and high water levels, accompanied by light rain, in Tam Nong District were obstructing the construction.
According to resident Huan from Huong Non Commune, without the bridge, people face a nearly-30-kilometer detour to reach Lam Thao District.
On Monday afternoon, two passenger bus services voluntarily transported students home for free, and on Tuesday morning, they provided free transportation between the two districts for school.
Authorities determined that rising water levels in the Red River had damaged a pillar, leading to the collapse of two main spans of the Phong Chau Bridge at 10:02 am on Monday.
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