People bet on safety when crossing the bridge
For nearly a year now, people in Quy Mong commune, Lao Cai province have had many difficulties in traveling because the suspension bridge on the route to Khe Rong, Kien Thanh, Tan An, Tan Viet residential areas has been seriously degraded.
According to the reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper in early November, the old suspension bridge is still "struggling" to withstand the load, serving the travel of people. Every time a car passes, the bridge shakes violently, making a sound of traffic jams as a signal of any safety risk.
Right next to it, the new bridge construction project is still in a state of "inactive", two unfinished bridge piles with the exposed steel piles covered with rust, while many steel girders are still temporarily gathered underground.
Mr. Ha The Anh (local resident) expressed concern because after storms No. 10 and No. 11, the suspension bridge is at risk of collapsing at any time. Although the government has put up signs prohibiting vehicles from passing, because there is no other road, people still have to "bet" on safety every day to get through.
According to Mr. Pham Van Hoan - Chairman of Quy Mong Commune People's Committee: "The Tan Viet bridge construction project is behind schedule, seriously affecting people's lives, activities and travel. Currently, the investor, the Tran Yen Construction Investment Project Management Board, is preparing a design adjustment plan and the completion time is unknown.
Similarly, in Bat Xat commune, the iron bridge connecting Muong Hum commune with Den Sang commune is the only connecting route for thousands of households to travel and trade goods. During the recent flood, rising water met the bridge surface, the strong current caused strong shaking, causing many people passing by to be afraid.
The bridge was built nearly 30 years ago and has never undergone a major maintenance. The bridge structure is old, some spans, bridge surfaces and bridge abutments show signs of deterioration. To ensure safety, local authorities have had to put up warning signs and prohibit traffic when the water rises.
Mr. Phan A Trac - Deputy Head of the Economic Department of Muong Hum Commune - said: "We sent professional staff to inspect immediately after the flood, but we could only evaluate the visible part with the naked eye. However, the items were soaked in water or sank under the lake, so the level of damage cannot be determined."
Will review the entire system of bridges and culverts
In Nghia Do commune, Ban Hon spillway on Provincial Road 153 - the main traffic route connecting Nghia Do - Tan Tien - Ban Lien is also seriously affected. The flood swept away a large amount of soil, rocks, sand, gravel, and filled the stream bed, causing the water level to rise close to the bridge surface, only about 50cm away. Just a heavy rain will cause water to overflow the bridge surface, causing traffic obstruction and potential danger to people.
"The spillway was invested in more than 10 years ago and is now degraded. After the flood, the commune had to mobilize people and machinery to temporarily clear the water. People want to invest in building a solid bridge to replace it, but to propose, they need a basis to assess the specific level of damage" - Ms. Nhu Thi Tam - Vice Chairman of Nghia Do Commune People's Committee said.
According to a survey in many mountainous communes in Lao Cai, many bridges in use for over 15 - 20 years are being seriously affected by natural disasters. Without timely intervention from inspection units, these bridges will become a potential threat to traffic, especially in the next rainy and flood season.
According to the leader of the Department of Construction of Lao Cai province, the current floods are more extreme than before, the amount of water pouring into streams and crevices is very large, creating a strong flow, causing erosion at the foot of the pillars and damage to the bridge structure. Currently, the unit is requesting localities to review the entire bridge and overflow system to promptly detect the risk of insecurity and avoid unfortunate incidents.
