Vietnam National Highway Damaged by Heavy Rains, Bridge and Road Suffers Severe Damage

A section of National Highway 48E in Vietnam's central Nghe An province has suffered severe damage due to flooding caused by heavy rains. On the afternoon of September 16, strong, muddy floodwaters rose over 1 meter high, hitting the bridge over a river in Quynh Thang commune. This caused the bridge deck to peel and crack into large sections. The incident occurred at the Khe Da Han bridge, approximately 10 meters long, on National Highway 48E, connecting the former Nghia Dan district area with Quynh Thang commune (formerly part of Quynh Luu district). Mr. Ho Anh Thang, Chairman of Quynh Thang commune, stated that heavy rains had occurred in the area for two days, causing water from upstream to flow rapidly, inundating the bridge and the road on both sides. "The water flowed very strongly, at one point submerging the bridge by over 1 meter. After the water receded, we discovered severe peeling and cracking of the bridge deck and the road surface," Mr. Thang said. At the scene, the Khe Da Han bridge deck showed numerous large cracks stretching across it, dividing it into separate sections. In some places, the asphalt concrete had peeled off, exposing the underlying gravel. In other spots, water and mud remained pooled in deeply eroded parts of the subgrade. Some sections of the road surface were warped and displaced, creating wide gaps. Upon discovering the incident, local authorities coordinated with the road management unit to erect barricades, temporarily prohibiting people and vehicles from passing through the hazardous area. The road management unit subsequently mobilized machinery for inspection and repair. By the evening of September 16, as the rain subsided, authorities had carried out temporary repairs on the damaged sections to allow people and vehicles to cross the bridge. Following the flood, the subgrade and road surface will be reinforced and repaired to ensure safety. National Highway 48E is over 8 meters wide and approximately 214 kilometers long. It passes through many areas of Nghe An province, connecting the western region with National Highway 1 and several other major transportation routes in the province. The heavy rains over the past two days have caused deep flooding in many areas of Nghe An, leading to traffic disruptions. According to a report on the morning of September 16, National Highway 48 was submerged by about 30 cm in Thai Hoa ward and 40 cm in Dong Hieu commune. Across the province, over 100 houses were flooded to depths of 0.6-2 meters, and 45 households were evacuated to safer locations. Some residential areas and roads in the Quynh Luu and Hoang Mai districts also experienced flooding of 30-50 cm, forcing residents to take alternative routes.