October 2, 2019

Andrew Campbell 

A severe typhoon Mitag had brought turbulent winds and heavy rainfalls to northern Taiwan on September 30. Subsequently a magnitude 3.8 earthquake registered an intensity level of 4 also struck at 1:54 AM on October 1. Later, the Nanfangao Bridge, located in Yilan county, collapsed suddenly at 9:30 AM: the bridge's deck and snapped hangers plummeted about 6 stories to the water and smashed 3 fishing boats beneath. 

The steel single-arched Nanfangao Bridge was constructed in 1998, spanning 140 meters over Nanfangao fishing port. It was 15 meters in width. According to statements released from the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of Interior, a local oil-tanker truck driver, 6 Philippine and 3 Indonesian fishermen were hospitalized. Reportedly 6 people were trapped inside fishing boats waiting for rescue by disaster relief officials.

Experts suspected corrosion in the bridge’s steel cables might be the cause of its failure. Taiwan administrative officials have promised to carry on a thorough investigation into the bridge’s collapse and would release the details in the causes of the bridge's failure as soon as possible.

Photo:Webshot.