Risk of collapse of Khe Loa bridge in Anh Son.

A visit to Binh Son commune, Anh Son district on the morning of September 21st revealed that floodwaters in rivers and streams were rising, and local authorities had plans in place to evacuate residents if necessary. In particular, at Khe Loa bridge on inter-district road 349D, one of the bridge abutments had collapsed, posing a high risk of the bridge collapsing at any moment.

Observations show that the bridge abutment has completely separated, and the soil underneath has severely eroded, forming a cavity that has encroached deep into the road surface. The river water is further eroding the area, causing the erosion to worsen.

In response to this situation, local authorities have put up warning signs and cordoned off the area to restrict traffic, while also deploying police and military forces to guard the bridge 24/7. For the time being, cars are strictly prohibited from crossing the bridge.

The Khe Loa bridge, built in 1997, is nearly 40 meters long and 3.5 meters wide, spanning the Con River. It serves as a major transportation route for residents of Binh Son, Thanh Son, Tho Son communes and neighboring areas. Therefore, local residents and authorities are very worried about the potential impact on their lives and trade if the bridge collapses.

Mr. Duong Cong Ngoc, Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Son commune, said: "For now, the commune has assigned personnel to be on duty 24/7 to ensure the safety of the people. We are closely monitoring the weather and river water levels to have timely response plans. In the long term, the locality hopes that the State will invest in building a new bridge, because this bridge is old, dilapidated, and located on the main road from Cay Chanh (Anh Son) to Tan Ky district, so it plays an important role in the socio-economic development of the locality."