On September 13, 5 days after the Phong Chau bridge collapse, the People's Committee of Tam Nong district (Phu Tho) said that the flood water level on the Red River has receded by about 2 meters. However, the water level on the river is still high, with a large flow rate.

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Authorities are surveying the area where the Phong Chau bridge collapsed. Photo: Phu Tho Provincial Police

On the same day, Mr. Bui Van Quang, Chairman of Phu Tho Provincial People's Committee, issued a document requesting the province's functional units to deploy a plan to search for people and salvage vehicles in the collapsed Phong Chau bridge.

To prepare for search and rescue operations, from the afternoon of September 13, Phu Tho Provincial Police issued a notice prohibiting all water vehicles from passing through Phong Chau Bridge, route Km 280+000 of the Red River.

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Once safety conditions are ensured, rescue forces will search for victims and vehicles that fell into the river. Photo: Phu Tho Provincial Police

Along with that, military and police forces are reviewing and surveying to come up with optimal search and rescue plans in the area where the incident occurred.

According to a preliminary report from Phu Tho province, at the time Phong Chau bridge collapsed on September 9, there were 5 cars on the bridge that fell into the river, including: 1 tractor-trailer truck, 1 truck and 3 cars; 4 motorbikes (3 gasoline motorbikes, 1 electric motorbike) with a total of over 10 people.