Many roads in Dien Bien are severely damaged due to subsidence.

Accordingly, at Km2 + 700, on National Highway 279B, in Na Tau commune, Dien Bien Phu city, there is a subsidence situation, causing cracks in the roadbed, fractures, and damage to nearly 50m of the road surface, posing a potential traffic safety risk for people and vehicles passing by.

According to the report of the Road Maintenance Board (Dien Bien Department of Transport), the investor of the project to upgrade National Highway 279B, the crack at the above point appeared after prolonged rains since the beginning of August. In a short time, the crack became longer and longer, dividing the road surface in half and expanding to both sides of the lane. The length of the damaged road surface is estimated at about 50m, with a depth of 30 - 50cm compared to the road surface. The subsidence pushed the soil and rocks towards the negative slope, bending the reinforced concrete embankment, and many long cracks also appeared on the embankment body.

Immediately after the incident occurred, the Road Maintenance Board (Dien Bien Department of Transport), the investor of the project to upgrade National Highway 279B, temporarily fixed the problem by pouring aggregate and covering the sunken section with tarpaulin to limit water from continuing to seep into the roadbed; at the same time, posted warning signs for people and vehicles to slow down, keep their distance or use the temporary bypass while the construction unit repaired the roadbed.

a1(4).jpg — The project investor temporarily fixed the problem by pouring aggregate and covering the subsidence section with tarpaulin.

At Nam Nhe II Bridge, Km135+850, on National Highway 4H, in Ta Hang village, Muong Toong commune, Muong Nhe district, recently a serious roadbed fracture has appeared, large cracks have caused the bridge to collapse; people and vehicles cannot travel in both directions; on August 9 alone, vehicles had to stop at the landslide site for hours, causing local traffic congestion.

The cause of the collapse and cracking of Nam Nhe II Bridge was assessed by the authorities as being due to heavy rains in recent days causing the water level of the stream to rise, the rapid flow causing erosion, directly affecting and damaging the structure of the bridge components. With this situation, the Department of Transport of Dien Bien province reported and proposed to the Vietnam Road Administration a plan to repair and overcome the damage to the Nam Nhe II Bridge project and a plan to build a temporary bridge to ensure traffic in the immediate future.

In addition, to ensure smooth, continuous and safe traffic, serving the travel needs of people on National Highway 4H from Muong Cha to Muong Nhe. During the construction of the temporary bridge and repair of Nam Nhe II bridge, the Department of Transport of Dien Bien province temporarily closed Nam Nhe II bridge and organized traffic diversion for the route from Dien Bien Phu City - Muong Cha - Muong Nhe and vice versa. At the same time, Dien Bien Road Joint Stock Company I was required to install directional signs and arrange traffic guards. The Road Maintenance Board arranged staff to regularly and continuously monitor the route. Traffic inspectors coordinated with local authorities and relevant units to organize regulation and guidance for people and vehicles participating in traffic to comply.

a2(2).jpg — Image of Nam Nhe II bridge broken, severely damaged and being urgently repaired by authorities to ensure smooth traffic.

Traffic flow content for the route from Dien Bien Phu City - Muong Cha - Muong Nhe and vice versa is specifically as follows:

For vehicles that are rudimentary vehicles, cars, passenger cars with less than 12 seats and small trucks (axle load under 6 tons):

Direction from Dien Bien Phu City to Muong Nhe: From Dien Bien Phu City, follow National Highway 12 to Km139, turn onto National Highway 4H to Km129, turn right onto Muong Toong - Nam Xa road to Nga Ba village, continue to Huoi Lum village, exit onto National Highway 4H at Km141+900, follow Nam Po - Nam Vi road, and enter the center of Muong Nhe district.

Directions from Muong Nhe to Dien Bien Phu City: From the center of Muong Nhe district, follow Highway 4H to Km141+900, turn left onto Nam Po - Nam Vi road to Huoi Lum village, from Huoi Lum village go to Nga Ba village, then from Nga Ba village follow Muong Toong - Nam Xa road to Highway 4H at Km129 to Muong Cha district and Dien Bien Phu city.

For passenger vehicles with more than 12 seats and trucks with axle load of more than 6 tons: Implement solutions to increase the limit, transfer, and share the load to passenger vehicles with less than 12 seats and small trucks to circulate along the above-mentioned routes.

Time to start implementing traffic diversion: Starting from 22:00 on August 9, 2023 until the completion of the temporary bridge construction at Km135+850/QL.4H

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