Flooding closes bridge and gridlocks traffic in Nghe An Province

October 20, 2010 | 09:14

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Ben Thuy Bridge in flooded Nghe An Province has been blocked to ensure safety, resulting in heavy traffic jams.

Traffic police direct traffic at Ben Thuy Bridge

By 9am, the rain had let up in the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh but the water level at the rivers remained very high. Some parts of National Road No.1A are 0.5 to 1.2m under water which has prevented traffic from flowing. At the southern end of Ben Thuy Bridge, vehicles have been lined up for a day.

To secure safety, traffic police in Nghe An Province banned vehicles from crossing Ben Thuy Bridge and instructed them to take alternate routes. However, the large number of vehicles has resulted in heavy traffic on the northern end of the bridge. Hundreds of trucks must wait for the water levels to ease and roads to be safe.

On the evening of October 18, the water began to rise causing panic in the people of Hung Nguyen and Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province, resulting in quick evacuation to seek shelter.

According to the Nghe An provincial board for flood and storm prevention, 16 deaths had been reported as of 10am this morning. Damages are estimated to be at VND 386 billion thus far.

Latest images of the flood-stricken province of Nghe An: