Nearly 40-year-old bridge in Nghe An at risk of collapse after flood

Xuan Hoang November 8, 2020 07:35

(Baonghean.vn) - Bau Dai Bridge on the inter-district road, through Lang Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (Nghe An) was built in 1982, seriously degraded, at risk of collapsing at any time after the recent flood.

The commune has put up signs about the weak bridge to limit heavy trucks from crossing this bridge. Photo: Xuan Hoang

In the days after the recent flood, people in Lang Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district are even more worried, because Bau Dai bridge, spanning Bau Sung on the main road of the commune, has been degraded and is now even more severely damaged.

The worry and insecurity is because every day there are hundreds of people and vehicles passing by on the bridge, especially students. If they are not careful, vehicles and people can fall off the bridge because the railing system is broken. Meanwhile, the water in Bau Sung is quite deep.

Observations show that Bau Dai bridge is about 20 meters long and 4 meters wide, many railings are broken, hanging under the bridge; under the foot of the bridge and the bridge abutment, many places are cracked, exposed steel... in danger of collapsing at any time. More dangerously, when a truck passes by, the bridge shakes terribly.

Bau Sung Bridge is seriously degraded. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Nguyen Ho Son - Chairman of Lang Thanh Commune People's Committee said: Bau Dai Bridge was built in 1982, on the inter-district road, which is also the main road of the commune, so the daily traffic volume is very high. The biggest worry is that someone will fall off the bridge, because many railings have broken, which is very dangerous.

The phenomenon of damaged and degraded bridges has been happening for many years, especially after the recent flood, when Bau Sung water rose high, along with a large amount of water hyacinth, causing congestion, causing the bridge abutment to sink, revealing many cracks in the bridge's foot, and the risk of collapse at any time.

Damaged bridge railing system. Photo: Xuan Hoang

To avoid the bridge collapsing and endangering people, the commune has put up "weak bridge" signs to restrict heavy trucks from crossing the bridge.

"This is the main road of the commune, the bridge is near the commune center and schools, so the commune's wish is that the superiors soon pay attention to investing in rebuilding this bridge so that people can feel secure every time they cross the bridge" - Mr. Nguyen Ho Son suggested.

Xuan Hoang