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Hanoi bans vehicles from major bridge over safety concerns following typhoon Yagi
Hanoi has banned coaches, certain tourism buses and trucks from crossing Chuong Duong Bridge starting Tuesday morning, due to safety concerns after a bridge collapse left 13 missing in nearby Phu Tho Province due to effects of typhoon Yagi.
The Hanoi Department of Transport announced that the ban applies to coaches, rental vehicles, tourism buses with more than nine seats, and trucks weighing over 0.5 tons. Public buses, however, are still permitted to operate.
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Vehicles are seen crossing the Chuong Duong Bridge in Hanoi. |
Chuong Duong Bridge connects two downtown streets Hoan Kiem and Long Bien.
To accommodate the ban, vehicles are advised to use alternative routes via Thanh Tri, Nhat Tan, Vinh Tuy, or Thang Long bridges.
The transport department stated that the ban aims to ensure public safety. Following typhoon Yagi, hydropower plants have been releasing water, raising the Red River’s water levels and potentially compromising the structural integrity of the bridge.
Similar safety measures have been implemented in other northern provinces, including Phu Tho, Yen Bai, and Tuyen Quang, where vehicles are prohibited from crossing several bridges.
On Monday, the Phong Chau Bridge in Phu Tho collapsed, sending several vehicles into the Red River and leaving 13 people missing. Search and rescue efforts continue on Tuesday.
Typhoon Yagi has left nine people dead and 187 others injured in several northern provinces, according to initial statistics reported as of September 8 morning.
Typhoon Yagi weakened into a tropical depression on the night of September 7, after moving further inland over the northern plains, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecast (NCHMF).
Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on September 7 morning asked the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting to provide the public with the most accurate possible developments of Yagi, believed to be one of the strongest storms hitting Vietnam so far.
Hanoi's Noi Bai International Airport and three others in the north and central regions will stop services in certain time frames on Saturday over potential impacts of super typhoon Yagi.
Super Typhoon Yagi maintained its strength Friday morning with maximum wind speeds of 201 kph and is expected to enter the Gulf of Tonkin at night, lashing northern Vietnam with strong winds and heavy rains.
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