A bridge in Vietnam collapsed into a river after being struck by Super Typhoon Yagi, which has claimed over 80 lives in the country so far. The incident occurred on 9 September at around 10am at the Phong Chau bridge in Phu Tho province. Footage from a vehicle’s dashcam, shared on social media, captured the moment the bridge gave way, sending a truck into the river. A motorcyclist narrowly escaped the collapse.
Background
The Phong Chau bridge, a 375-metre-long structure made of steel and prestressed reinforced concrete, has been in use since 1995. Despite undergoing annual maintenance with no reported safety issues, the bridge succumbed to the heavy rain and flooding brought by Typhoon Yagi. The rising water levels and altered riverbed terrain led to the catastrophic failure.
Search for 13 people ongoing following bridge collapse
According to Vietnam’s deputy prime minister Ho Duc Phoc, 10 cars and two scooters fell into the Red River. Three people have been rescued, but 13 remain unaccounted for, with search efforts ongoing. One of the rescued individuals, 50-year-old Phan Truong Son, recounted his harrowing experience: “It felt like falling to the bottom of the river.” He managed to swim to the surface and grab onto a banana tree before being rescued by boat.
Bridge had no safety issues prior to collapse
Phu Tho’s transport department confirmed that the typhoon’s heavy rain and flooding caused the river’s water level to rise rapidly, altering the riverbed’s terrain and leading to the bridge’s collapse. Vietnam’s Department of Roads noted that the bridge had undergone regular maintenance and no safety concerns had been raised before the incident. The military has been instructed to build a pontoon across the remaining part of the bridge as soon as possible.
At least 44 dead from landslides and flash floods
Typhoon Yagi has caused widespread devastation, with at least 44 people killed by landslides and flash floods. In Yen Bai province, 2,400 families were evacuated to higher ground as floodwaters reached a metre high. Nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from coastal towns, and schools in 12 provinces, including Hanoi, have been temporarily closed. Factories in northern Vietnam have also suffered extensive damage, with roofs blown apart and water damaging goods and equipment. Some companies estimate it will take at least a month to resume production.
Future implications and ongoing concerns
Yagi, one of the strongest typhoons to hit Vietnam in decades, made landfall on 7 September with winds reaching up to 149 km/h. Although it weakened on 8 September, Vietnam’s meteorological agency has warned that ongoing downpours could lead to further floods and landslides. The disaster has highlighted the need for improved infrastructure resilience and emergency preparedness in the face of increasingly severe weather events.
