Flood water on the Red River rises rapidly, Phong Chau pontoon bridge stops operating

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On the morning of June 11, the water level of the Red River passing through Phong Chau pontoon bridge rose high and flowed strongly, many large tree branches got stuck on the bridge railing. At nearly 9:00 a.m., when the water overflowed the bridge, Brigade 249, the Engineering Corps - the unit operating the pontoon bridge - asked people from both directions to stop moving to cut the bridge span to ensure safety.

Immediately after the middle span of the pontoon bridge was severed, strong floodwaters swept two sections of the pontoon bridge downstream. Because the sections were anchored to the bank, they only drifted a short distance before drifting ashore without colliding with any vehicles on the river.

Colonel Nguyen Dang Chien, Head of the Propaganda Department, Engineering Corps, said that according to calculations, when the flow velocity is over 2 m/s, it will not ensure the safety of the pontoon bridge and people on the bridge. Currently, the flow velocity through the area is over 3 m/s, so the unit has to cut the pontoon bridge.

"The engineering corps is preparing a plan so that people can cross the river by military ferry when conditions permit," Colonel Chien added.

Due to the influence of a low pressure trough with an axis from 22 to 25 degrees north latitude, the midlands and mountainous areas of the North have continuously had heavy rain at night in the past few days. The meteorological agency recorded that from 2:00 p.m. on June 9 to 2:00 p.m. on June 10, Nam Luc ( Lao Cai ) had 131 mm of rain, and Bang Luan (Phu Tho) had 76 mm.

The water level of the Red River at Son Tay station ( Hanoi ), bordering Phu Tho, has risen to 3.6 m, more than 8 m below alert level one. Since yesterday, the water level of the Red River has increased by more than half a meter.

On September 9, 2024, during Typhoon Yagi, two spans of Phong Chau Bridge connecting Lam Thao and Tam Nong districts collapsed, leaving eight people missing. The incident caused many difficulties for people traveling on both sides of the Red River, forcing them to take a detour of 40-50 km.

To facilitate the people, Brigade 249 installed a temporary pontoon bridge, however, due to the erratic water level of the Red River, the pontoon bridge often had to stop operating, and engineers had to use ferries to take people across the river.

HA (according to VnE)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nuoc-lu-tren-song-hong-len-nhanh-cau-phao-phong-chau-dung-hoat-dong-413780.html