After merging with An Luong commune, Mo Vang commune (Lao Cai province) has 16 villages, including Khe Long 2, Khe Long 3 and Khe Hop villages with more than 300 households living and producing in the area divided by the Ngoi Thia stream. Khe Hop civil suspension bridge has long been the only way to connect people with the commune center.
In December 2025, Lao Dong Newspaper published an article: Unique suspension bridge collapses after flood, people in mountainous areas risk their lives to cross. Rain and floods due to the circulation of storm No. 10 have seriously damaged the bridge. Rising floodwaters and strong currents eroded both ends of the bridge, damaged the structure of the pillars, and many large cracks appeared.
The bridge deck was broken nearly 50m, dangerously deformed, the cable system was loose, and many details were broken.
Immediately after the water receded, commune functional forces were present at the scene, quickly assessed the extent of damage and implemented safety measures such as stretching ropes, erecting barriers, planting warning signs, and propaganda on the loudspeaker system to prevent people from passing through dangerous areas.
According to reporters' records in the last days of April 2026, although many months have passed, the danger on the Khe Hop suspension bridge is still present.
Through observation, the distance from the bridge surface to the stream is nearly 10m, even a small mistake can lead to serious consequences.
The bridge is heavily damaged, knowing the danger but there is no other way. Wanting to bring materials to repair the house or go to work in the fields also has to risk going through," Mr. Vang A Nhi (Khe Long 2 village) shared.
Local authorities have arranged support boats, but travel conditions are still extremely difficult. Large boats cannot dock, small boats are limited in transportation, especially with bulky goods.
Not only is it a story of travel, the damaged bridge also entails economic consequences. The livelihood of people here mainly relies on cinnamon trees - the main source of income, but purchasing and transportation face many obstacles.
Everything has to be carried on foot. Cinnamon is in harvest season but cannot be transported, the damage is very large. Children going to school is also dangerous," Ms. Giang Thi Say (Khe Long 2 village) worried.
Especially, as the rainy and flood season is approaching, the risk of complete isolation makes people even more uneasy, especially for picking up and dropping off students across streams.
Mr. Do Cao Quyen - Chairman of the People's Committee of Mo Vang commune - said that Khe Hop bridge is not only a simple traffic route but also a "lifeline" for hundreds of households.
This is a road for students to go to school, for agricultural and forestry products - especially cinnamon - to be transported to the market. The damage to the bridge has directly affected production, daily life and safety of people in the area.
According to Mr. Quyen, after the locality proposed to allocate capital to build a new bridge, the Lao Cai Provincial People's Committee approved the project to urgently repair the Khe Hop suspension bridge.
According to the plan, the new bridge will be built of prestressed reinforced concrete, more than 166m long, 9m wide, with a total investment of 75 billion VND.
The locality is striving to clear the site in the second quarter of 2026 to soon deploy construction and replace the old bridge.
