YÊN BÁI — A Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reporter was swept away on Wednesday while reporting at the scene on serious floods that hit the northern mountain province of Yên Bái’s Nghĩa Lộ town.

The young reporter, Đinh Hữu Dư, who worked as a local correspondent in the province was washed away after the Thia Bridge collapsed due to high waves at about 12pm on Wednesday.

Four others were on the bridge with Dư when it collapsed, including another VNA reporter and three locals.

Dư’s colleague, Phạm Thế Duyệt, escaped from the accident while the four others are still missing, Vietnam News Agency reported.

Duyệt said that the incident occurred when the two reporters were filming on Thia Bridge, crossing the Thia River in Nghĩa Lộ Town to show the floods that caused the river to rise.

When Dư was filming, Duyệt went inside and the bridge suddenly collapsed. Dư and some others who were crossing the bridge all fell into the water and were swept away.

By 3pm the same day, Duyệt said that no information on Dư or the others had been reported.

Đinh Đức Tưởng, head of the VNA’s representative office in Yên Bái Province, said he was on his way to the scene of the accident.

"We can not yet confirm that Dư was swept away by the floods. We called him many times but could not reach him. Hopefully he’s safe,” said Tưởng.

Chairman of Yên Bái Province’s People’s Committee Đỗ Đức Duy went to the bridge collapse site to authorise the search and rescue work.

The province mobilised more than 100 officers, soldiers and medical personnel for the work around Thia Bridge.

Duy also requested departments increase their forces in key points, such as Ao Luông area in Văn Chấn District and around Văn Chấn hydropower plant to prepare for the rescue.

Over the past two days, floods in Yên Bái Province have caused serious damage to transportation systems, agricultural production and local life with hundreds of houses destroyed and thousands of people evacuated. — VNS