After hitting the railway bridge, one of the three barges continued drifting and became lodged between the underside of the My Chanh railway bridge and the My Chanh road bridge on National Highway 1A. The other two barges became stuck at the bridge piers and were partially submerged.
Mr. Tran Huu Bac, Chairman of the Nam Hai Lang Commune People’s Committee in Quang Tri Province, said each of the three barges is about 30 meters long. No one was aboard the barges when the incident occurred.
Authorities are working to find a way to remove the barges. However, the operation is proving difficult as the Thac Ma River is rising rapidly and flowing strongly.
“If the weight of the water is taken into account, each barge could weigh up to hundreds of tons. The water flow is currently extremely strong, potentially posing serious risks to the My Chanh railway bridge,” Mr. Bac warned.
