[Text/Observer Network Guo Han] After the passage of Typhoon "Mita", an important landmark bridge built 20 years ago in Yilan County, Taiwan suddenly collapsed, causing 10 people to be injured and 5 people missing. The cause of the collapse is currently unknown. According to the

[Text/Observer Network Guo Han]

After typhoon "Mita" passed through, Yilan County, Taiwan An important landmark bridge built 20 years ago suddenly collapsed, causing 10 people to be injured and 5 people missing. The cause of the collapse is currently unknown.

According to the "Central News Agency" report, on the morning of October 1, the Nanfang'ao Cross-sea Bridge in Yilan County fractured and collapsed. The local fire station reported that an oil tanker fell into the sea and hit a fishing boat and caught fire. Preliminary statistics indicate that at least 9 people fell into the sea from 2 boats. The authorities are conducting search and rescue operations.

Bridge collapse scene Picture from: "United Network" The same below

"United Network" quoted the latest data from Taiwan's "Disaster Response Center" at 12:16. The accident has sent 10 people to the hospital, 6 of whom were seriously injured. Five other people were missing. There were knocking sounds in the cabin, and it was not ruled out that they were trapped. Taiwan's "Fire Department" revealed that except for a local driver, the injured were all foreign fishermen.

And 2,400 households were without power due to the collapse of bridges and power lines. Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen said that all forces would be mobilized for search and rescue.

Rescue workers are launching a search and rescue operation.

Suao Mayor Li Mingzhe said that the accident occurred at around 9:30 in the morning. Witnesses at the scene said that there was only a loud bang and then the bridge collapsed, the entire bridge deck disappeared, and a moving oil tanker also slipped to the port and caught fire.

There were three fishing boats in the bridge sewer, and they were all weighed down by the collapsed structure of the bridge. At 10:05, the Yilan County Fire Department rushed to the scene for rescue after receiving the report, and Taiwan's "Disaster Response Center" also sent a helicopter.

The moment the bridge collapsed

Picture from: Social media

A fishing boat was pinned down and rescuers were working on it. Picture from: "United Network"

The roads around the scene have been blocked and the rescue operation is still in progress. The Taiwan Police and Fire Department has activated a large number of casualty mechanisms, dispatching more than 200 rescue workers and more than 30 vehicles, while the Taiwan Army has sent engineers to handle the situation.

According to the Su'ao tourism tourism website, the Nanfang'ao Cross-sea Bridge was built in 1999. It is 140 meters long, 15 meters wide and 18 meters high, with a cost of NT$250 million. The bridge was designed by Yaxin Engineering Co., Ltd. and constructed by Liyong Construction Co., Ltd. It is the only single steel arch bridge in Taiwan.

The bridge connects Tofuyan Cape to the newly built pier on the east side. The bridge also has a viewing platform for tourists and is one of the important local landmarks.

Original view of the Nanfang'ao Cross-Hong Kong Bridge. Photo from: Su'ao Tourism Network.

The detailed reasons for the current collapse have yet to be clarified. Typhoon "Mita" had just passed through before. The Taiwan Meteorological Administration revealed that an earthquake with a magnitude of on the Richter scale of 3.8 occurred at 1:54 this morning. The maximum magnitude of the earthquake in Nan'ao, Yilan County was 4. However, it is difficult to confirm the connection with the broken bridge.

Some netizens questioned that something happened to this bridge just 20 years after it was built, and it should be investigated carefully. Li Mingzhe, the mayor of Suao, was very surprised by this and thought that the bridge "should be very solid."

"United Network" quoted local people as saying that the bridge carries too much load, and when pedestrians walk on the bridge, it will shake violently as long as vehicles pass by.

Source of the scene on the bridge: Same as above

Wang Zhanlie, chairman of the China Civil Engineering and Water Conservancy Association, said that the design of the single steel arch bridge is fine in theory, but the video shows that when the oil tanker passed by, a steel cable was suspected to have fallen off the top of the bridge, and the entire bridge was completely destroyed in an instant. The seat is broken.

He pointed out that the bridge is equipped with a steel cable clamp every 20 meters to evenly distribute the force. Even if it becomes loose due to corrosion or wind, it stands to reason that one less steel cable will not cause a complete collapse. Need to go to the site for detailed investigation.