At least 15 people died and scores of others went missing when a
suspension bridge over the Bheri River in Surkhet district in
far-western Nepal collapsed Tuesday afternoon, The Kathmandu
Post reported on Wednesday.
Nepalese people pull themselves
off a collapsed suspension bridge in the Bheri River, Surkhet
District, some 240 miles west of Kathmandu. At least 12 people were
dead and some 70 others were missing after a suspension bridge in
western Nepal collapsed Tuesday. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
Nepalese policemen. Five people
died and hundreds were missing after an overcrowded suspension
bridge collapsed above the Bheri River in western Nepal, a report
and police officials said. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)
In a statement issued late Tuesday, the Armed Police Force
confirmed the deaths of 15 including three women and two
children.
The Home Ministry, meanwhile, said 32 people including 20 women
and 12 men are receiving treatment at Surkhet Regional Hospital,
some 375 km west of capital Kathmandu.
Around 200 of those who fell into the river reportedly managed
to swim to safety while a considerable number of others were
rescued. Personnel from the Armed Police Force (APF), the Nepal
Army and Nepal Police and locals have been searching for the
missing.
According to the daily, over 300 people were estimated to have
been on the bridge when the mishap occurred. They were crossing the
river to participate in a yearly fair on the other side of the
river.
The heavily-crowded bridge collapsed after a support pillar at
one end fell apart under the weight.
Deputy Inspector General at APF regional headquarters Krishna
Bahadur Bista, who inspected the incident site by helicopter, said
that many people were seen floating and being swept away by the
river. He said most of those being swept away were women.
(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2007)
