Ong Cop Bridge in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam's Central Highlands, has been almost entirely swept away by floodwaters, with only a small section remaining. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre
The 800-meter-long, two-meter-wide bridge, which linked Tuy An Dong Commune and Xuan Dai Ward, was swept away by rising floodwaters on the river during heavy flooding on Wednesday, the Tuy An Dong administration said on Friday.
As a result, only about three meters of the bridge remained at one of its ends, along with wooden support posts standing in the middle of the river.
Large amounts of debris and tree branches had been swept up by the floodwaters and accumulated around the damaged bridge.
Nguyen Thi Hoa, a 45-year-old resident of Tuy An Dong, said damage to the bridge had made travel extremely difficult for local residents.
A sign reading ‘Ong Cop Bridge, Vietnam’s longest wooden bridge’ stands on the remaining section of the structure, once a popular tourist attraction, after most of the bridge was swept away by floodwaters. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre
Previously, residents could travel between the two communities via the bridge in about one kilometer, but they now have to take a detour of around 10 kilometers between Tuy An Dong and Xuan Dai, she said.
Local authorities have put up barriers and warning signs to prevent people and vehicles from crossing while weather conditions remain unsafe.
Repairs will be privately funded, but work cannot begin yet because the river remains swollen, the commune authorities said.
Residents said the bridge is swept away by floodwaters every rainy season, leaving only a few wooden support posts standing in the murky water before locals rebuild it.
Remnants of wooden support posts are seen in the river after floodwaters swept away most of Ong Cop Bridge in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam's Central Highlands. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre
Last year, the bridge was also swept away by floods in November and was only restored earlier this year.
Located near National Highway 1, Ong Cop Bridge was built from timber and bamboo and primarily serves pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists traveling between Tuy An Dong and Xuan Dai.
The structure was built using hundreds of cubic meters of timber, with support posts driven deep into the riverbed.
Debris and tree branches swept up by floodwaters have accumulated around the remaining section of Ong Cop Bridge, most of which was swept away by floods in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam's Central Highlands. Photo: Le Trung / Tuoi Tre
It serves as an important local transport link, shortening travel distances by up to 10 kilometers, and has also become a popular spot for tourists to take photos when visiting the area.
Meanwhile, the Dak Lak administration has approved a project to build a new bridge connecting Tuy An Dong and Xuan Dai.
The project, spanning approximately 3.4 kilometers, has a total investment of around VND938 billion (US$36.5 million).
Tuy An Dong authorities are focusing on site clearance, the resettlement area and construction of approach roads for the project.
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