A close-up look at suspension bridges swept away in Nghe An flood
SGGPO
The historic flood that struck overnight on July 22–23 swept away multiple suspension bridges in western communes of Nghe An Province, leaving entire villages cut off and hundreds of households in hardship.
The suspension bridge is swept away by floods, cutting off the only road to the village.
In addition to submerging or destroying over 7,000 homes, the unprecedented flood caused widespread devastation to infrastructure and transportation networks across the province. Notably, six suspension bridges were completely washed away, resulting in damages worth tens of billions of Vietnamese dong. These bridges had been State-funded projects, aimed at boosting socio-economic development and improving access for ethnic minority communities in the mountainous western region of Nghe An.
Tuong Duong District was among the hardest hit. Within a single night, three suspension bridges in the district were destroyed by floodwaters. Of particular significance were the bridges at Chan and Mac villages, which served as vital lifelines connecting four remote villages — Mac, Lau, Nhan, and Chan — to the center of Tuong Duong Commune across the Lam River.
With the only access road severed, nearly 400 households in the four villages have been cut off for more than ten days, relying entirely on relief supplies delivered via motorboats across the river.
According to Mr. Le Van Luong, Party Secretary of Tuong Duong Commune, local authorities have submitted an urgent request to the province for support in establishing two ferry terminals to facilitate the transport of essential goods and meet the daily needs of the isolated communities.
Suspension bridge is swept away by floods in Tuong Duong Commune.
On the downstream section of the Nam Non River below Ban Ve Hydropower Plant, the Xop Mat suspension bridge — the only route connecting Luong Minh Commune center to hundreds of households — is also swept away, cutting off all access.
The Cua Rao suspension bridge over the Nam Mo River — linking National Highway 7 to Van Temple, the most sacred temple in the former Tuong Duong District — collapses and is swept away by floodwaters on the night of July 22.
In My Ly Commune — the hardest-hit locality following the historic flood on the night of July 22 — the Yen Hoa suspension bridge spanning the Nam Non River is completely swept away, leaving no trace. The bridge used to serve as a vital link between the commune center and remote border villages upstream, while also playing a key role in supporting local economic development and community-based tourism.
Sharing the same fate as the other bridges, the Quan Dan suspension bridge over the Khe Hy stream in Nhon Mai Commune is swept away — leaving only the bridge abutments — after being severely weakened by previous flash floods and ultimately destroyed by the historic flood in July 2025.
Nghe An Province prioritizes urgent measures to address the aftermath of the disaster, focusing on restoring essential infrastructure and supporting residents in rebuilding their homes and resuming normal life in the wake of the flood.
