Many suspension bridges in Nghe An province have exposed bridge piers after heavy rains and floods.

Dropping gabions to "save" the foundation piles of the Do Ro bridge tower.

A visit to the Do Ro suspension bridge in Nghia Dong commune revealed that one of the bridge's tower foundations has been exposed near the edge of the Con River, posing a potential safety risk to people crossing the river.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Sen, a local resident, the Do Ro suspension bridge is one of the main transportation routes for the people, with many motorbikes and bicycles passing through daily. The erosion of the bridge's foundations due to floodwaters washing away the soil is causing great concern among the residents, who hope that the authorities will soon inspect the bridge and take remedial measures.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung, Chairman of the Nghia Dong Commune People's Committee, said: The Do Ro suspension bridge was built and put into use in 2010. After 15 years of use, the Do Ro suspension bridge has deteriorated. The local authorities have issued a document prohibiting vehicles with four wheels or more from crossing the bridge, and have also requested people not to travel across the bridge during rainy and windy weather and when water levels are high.

However, following the historic flooding caused by Typhoon No. 10, some sections of the bridge are no longer safe, particularly, a portion of the soil in the bridge abutment has eroded at the base of the pillars on the Nghia Dong commune side. Every day, officials and residents mainly use the Do Ro suspension bridge, especially after the merger of Binh Hop and Nghia Dong communes into Nghia Dong commune.

“The commune has proposed a solution to address the bridge pier foundation by using Larsen IV steel sheet piles combined with gabions to prevent erosion of the pier foundation. The Provincial People's Committee has also allocated 3.5 billion VND to implement this item and related tasks. In the coming time, the commune will carry out investment procedures such as surveying, designing, and submitting the economic-technical report for appraisal; after approval by the specialized agency, it will proceed with bidding and implement the remediation plan,” Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung said.

Along with repairing the bridge towers, the Nghia Dong commune authorities will carry out repairs to the Do Ro suspension bridge on several other items: Removing rust from the entire old bridge and repainting it; Removing old grease and applying grease to all main cables; Tightening all bolts and replacing loose or missing bolts; Replacing rusted steel plates on the bridge deck; Replacing some longitudinal and transverse beams, connecting bars, straightening the bridge deck slabs, and replacing worn-out anti-slip strips; Straightening warped railings; Inspecting and addressing subsidence at the bridge approaches and abutments.

Due to landslides at the Ben Muoi suspension bridge, Nghia Khanh commune has requested investment in a permanent bridge.

The Ben Muoi suspension bridge in Nghia Khanh commune, built and put into use in 2014, is an important connecting route serving the transportation and trade needs of people on both sides of the Hieu River. After more than 10 years of operation, the bridge has become a vital transportation artery for many villages and hamlets.

However, in 2025, Nghia Khanh commune was repeatedly affected by heavy rains and flash floods, especially typhoons No. 5 and No. 10. The strong floodwaters caused landslides at the base of the bridge, increasing the risk of structural failure. This situation has caused residents of Nghia Khanh commune to worry about the safety of the bridge.

Mr. Pham Duc Thang, Chairman of the Nghia Khanh Commune People's Committee, said that on November 9, 2025, the local authorities conducted a site inspection. The results showed that the landslide has not yet directly affected the main structure of the bridge. However, many cracks have appeared in the area, and the risk of further landslides is very clear, especially since the rainy season has not yet ended. "This situation requires thorough assessment and timely action to ensure the safety of people who use the bridge daily," Mr. Thang said.

According to the commune's leaders, in the near future, the locality will conduct a survey and submit a plan to the Department of Construction to address the collapsed bridge's foundation. At the same time, Nghia Khanh commune is requesting the Provincial People's Committee to consider investing in the construction of a new, sturdy bridge to replace it.

"The Ben Muoi suspension bridge is 202m long, 2.4m wide, and has a load capacity of 2.5 tons, allowing only agricultural vehicles and motorbikes to pass. Therefore, building a new bridge will not only help protect the safety of the people but also meet the increasing travel needs, creating conditions to promote trade, goods transportation, and sustainable socio-economic development for the locality and surrounding areas," shared Mr. Pham Duc Thang, Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Khanh commune.