Traffic on the Phong Chau pontoon bridge in Phu Tho Province, northern Vietnam, was temporarily halted on Tuesday evening due to safety concerns, as heavy rainfall had caused the Red River's water level to rise rapidly, leading to the suspension until further notice.

Nguyen Van Hung, vice-chairman of the administration in Tam Nong District, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Tuesday evening that the military had cut the pontoon bridge connection to ensure safety amid heavy rainfall and surging floodwaters.

The bridge will be reconnected and the traffic ban will be lifted once weather conditions improve and the water level is safe for people to cross it, Hung said.

Previously, over 200 officers and soldiers set up the 60-metric-ton pontoon bridge within 90 minutes on Sunday, as a temporary replacement for the Phong Chau Bridge which collapsed on September 9.

Plans to install the pontoon bridge were initiated on September 10. 

The bridge normally operates from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, after which it is disconnected to allow vessels to pass through.

This pontoon bridge was built approximately 400 meters downstream from the collapsed Phong Chau Bridge, which connects Tam Nong and Lam Thao Districts in Phu Tho.

The official elaborated that the operation of the pontoon bridge heavily depends on the weather, which is why the military remains on standby at the bridge area.

The pontoon bridge was opened to traffic at 6:00 am on Monday, allowing rudimentary vehicles, motorcycles, and three-wheeled motorbikes to travel in both directions, with a speed limit of five kilometers per hour.

Cars and pickup trucks are only allowed to travel in one direction at a time, with a time limit of 10 minutes for each direction.

The distance between vehicles on the bridge must be at least 30 meters, and the speed limit is 10 kilometers per hour.

A preliminary report from the Phu Tho Department of Transport indicated that the bridge collapse was caused by super typhoon Yagi, which made landfall in northern Vietnam on September 7.

The rising water levels of the Red River damaged a pillar, leading to the collapse of two main spans of the Phong Chau Bridge.

Local authorities then said that 10 vehicles were on the bridge when it collapsed, including one truck, two tractor-trailers, six motorbikes, and one electric motorbike.

Eight people were reported missing, while three injured individuals received immediate medical treatment following the accident.

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