Cao Bo Commune, with 11 villages and nearly 4,000 residents, mainly of the Dao ethnic minority group, is nestled across remote high mountain slopes. To reach the commune centre, villagers often have to cross fragile, makeshift bridges spanning mountain streams, making travel particularly hazardous during the rainy season.
Nam Ma Stream
For instance, the temporary bridge over the Nam Ma stream is the only way to reach Thac Hung Village, which has a population of 300. First built more than 40 years ago, it has been washed away by floods almost every year. In 2006, villagers rebuilt it with their own contributions, but it quickly fell into serious disrepair.
In 2022, the bridge was reinforced with a steel frame and a 1.3-metre metal deck. A year later, floods washed away one span, cutting off traffic, keeping children from school and stopping villagers from moving their crops.
The temporary bridge in Thac Hung Village
Authorities and locals fixed it, but in 2024, the remnants of Typhoon Yagi sent torrents crashing down from the forest, sweeping the bridge away again. Once more, residents pooled their resources to rebuild a fragile crossing for daily travel and trade.
Ban Van Thang, 60, crosses the bridge every day and has seen it swept away many times. Each repair, he said, comes from the community buying steel, bamboo and timber to shore it up.
According to Nguyen Van Duong, Chairman of Cao Bo Commune, last year, a parent riding with his child fell through a worn beam, leaving both with broken legs.
Residents in Thac Hung Village in dire of need of a new bridge
Duong hopes Dantri/Dtinews can serve as a bridge, calling on benefactors to join hands with local authorities to build a sturdy bridge that will ensure safety when floods arrive.
Cao Bo boasts approximately 4,000 hectares of rhododendrons covering the summit of Tay Con Linh, the highest point in the Northeast, at 2,438 metres above sea level. In spring, the slopes burst into a sea of radiant blossoms, long cherished as symbols of prosperity, family harmony and loyal love.
The commune is equally renowned for its centuries-old Shan Tuyet tea trees, which entice travellers to admire their ancient beauty, savour their rich flavour, and trek towards the majestic Tay Con Linh peak.
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Nguyen Van Duong, chairman of Cao Bo District, Tuyen Quang Province
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