The Department of Roads will inspect and review the safety of bridges in flood-prone areas.

The Vietnam Road Administration has just issued a document requesting Road Management Zones 1 and 2 and transport departments affected by storm No. 3 to urgently inspect and review the safety of bridge works.

Accordingly, bridge works that must be inspected include large bridges, bridges with special structures, sea-crossing bridges, weak bridges, bridges with insufficient drainage openings, bridges built a long time ago, eroded bridges, bridges on rivers and streams with changed flow, affected by material exploitation, bridges with incidents, bridges with shallow foundations/pile foundations, bridges that have been or are being damaged or are likely to be damaged.

In particular, the above agencies noted that special attention should be paid to the structures of abutments, bridge piers and structures that are easily affected by changes in flow, erosion, material exploitation, flood water, collisions, drifting and getting stuck by watercraft.

“During the review and inspection process, if an emergency situation affecting the safety of the project is discovered, immediate remedial measures must be taken and at the same time, a report must be made to the competent authority to promptly have a plan to ensure the safety of the project and traffic safety,” the leader of the Vietnam Road Administration requested.

After completing this review and inspection, the road management areas and the Department of Transport need to report to the competent authorities to propose immediate and long-term solutions to overcome the causes affecting the safety of the bridge project.

Previously, at 10:02 a.m. on September 9, due to the impact of storm No. 3 causing rain, floods, and rising water levels on the Red River, the high flow rate caused Phong Chau bridge to collapse pillar T7 and collapse the two main spans T6 and T7 (2 steel truss spans) resting on pillar T7.

Concerned about the safety of bridges when the river water rises and flows rapidly due to the storm and flood situation, the Phu Tho Department of Transport has banned vehicles from passing through Trung Ha Bridge and Tu My Bridge. The Hanoi Department of Transport has banned vehicles from passing through Long Bien Bridge and Duong Bridge and restricted vehicles from passing through Chuong Duong Bridge; the Yen Bai Department of Transport has banned people and vehicles from passing through Yen Bai Bridge...