On the afternoon of 13 September 2024, intense tropical‑low rain caused the Ô Lâu River in Quảng Trị province to rise rapidly. Three large sà lan barges belonging to a local quarry company were torn from their moorings at Tây Chánh, Nam Hai Lăng and drifted downstream, becoming wedged at the My Chanh railway and road bridge (km 788+357, National Route 1).
The incident prompted an immediate response from the provincial police, fire‑rescue units, the railway authority and local officials. Over a hundred personnel, including police, firefighters, railway workers and residents, were dispatched to the site. By 23:00 on 13 September, rescuers had secured one barge and moved it to safety, while a second barge sank and the third remained trapped. Crews used ropes, water‑pumping and partial cutting of the barges to prevent further impact on the bridge’s piers. Inspections confirmed that the railway track suffered minimal damage and trains could continue at a reduced speed of 15 km/h.
On 14 September, the provincial leadership, represented by Vice‑Chairmen Lê Văn Bảo and Lê Đức Tiến, authorised the hiring of a professional salvage firm. The company plans to deploy four large buoys, an excavator and a motorbike‑pump, estimating a 4‑5‑day operation to retrieve the sunken barge and free the remaining two. Officials emphasized that the priority is to safeguard the structural integrity of both the railway and road bridges and to restore normal traffic flow. The coordinated effort highlights Quảng Trị’s capacity to manage flood‑related infrastructure emergencies swiftly and safely.