As Lao Dong reported, on June 11, due to the rising water level of the Red River, flowing rapidly, and the flow rate exceeding 3 m/s, Brigade 249 - Engineering Corps urgently cut off the Phong Chau pontoon bridge (connecting Phung Nguyen commune, Lam Thao district with Huong Non commune, Tam Nong district) to ensure safety.
To prevent disruption of traffic, on the afternoon of June 13, the military ferry was used to serve the travel needs of the people.
According to the reporter of Lao Dong Newspaper in mid-June, the water level of the Red River in the Phong Chau bridge area has risen, and sand dunes that emerged in the middle of the river are no longer seen as when the water was low.
It can be seen that the road up and down the wharf has been reinforced and widened more than before, ensuring easy traffic, even for cars when the Phong Chau pontoon bridge is reconnected.
Each ferry trip can carry over 50 people and vehicles. All people on the ferry are given life jackets by the soldiers and arranged positions on the ferry; when the ferry arrives at the wharf and people move down from the ferry after going down, the barrier in the ferry waiting area will be opened for others to move... All activities must follow the command and command of the pilot.
The ferries operate at full capacity to pick up and drop off people across the river (people, bicycles, motorbikes). During rush hour, the number of people waiting for the ferry was very large, when a ferry had just departed, the wharf was packed with people and vehicles.
However, when witnessing the hardships of the 249th Engineering Brigade soldiers operating the ferry, the professionalism and consideration of the soldiers in serving the people, no one complained when waiting for the ferry for a long time.
Mr. Bui Van Tuyen - a resident of Viet Tri city - shared: "This is not the first time a ferry has been used to replace a pontoon bridge when the river water rises, I am used to it, if I take a ferry, I can take a little earlier, the important thing is safety and there is no need to go around Ngoc Thap bridge in Phu Tho town".
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting's Short-term Hydrological Forecast and Warning bulletin No. 169 dated June 18, the actual water level of the Thao River (Red River) measured at Phu Tho station at 1:00 a.m. the same day was 13.06 m; at 7:00 a.m. it was 13.02 m. It is forecasted that by 7:00 p.m., the water level will decrease to 12.90 m; by 1:00 a.m. on June 19, it will be 12.80 m...
If in the coming days, the water level of the Red River decreases and the flow rate is lower than 2.2 m/s, Phong Chau pontoon bridge will be reinstalled, serving the travel needs of the people better.
