Seven dead, scores missing in Nepal suspension bridge collapse

At least seven persons were killed and scores were declared missing after an overloaded suspension bridge over the Bheri River here collapsed on Tuesday afternoon.

Surkhet (Nepal), Dec. 25 : At least seven persons were killed and scores were declared missing after an overloaded suspension bridge over the Bheri River here collapsed on Tuesday afternoon.

Nearly 300 people were crossing the bridge, which connects Daha-chaur and Medhapura village defence committees in Surkhet. The bridge collapse took place at around 1:30 this afternoon, the district police office quoted eye-witnesses as saying.

Among the seven dead were two women and five men. At least 15 people, most of them women and girls, have been rescued and taken to the Bheri Regional hospital by chopper.

Security officials involved in aerial inspection of the incident site informed that scores of people could be seen flowing in the river. Deputy Inspector General at the regional Armed Police Force Office, Krishna Bahadur Bista informed that most of them included women and girls.

Local heads of the administrative and security agencies in the region have already arrived at the accident site which lies around ten kilometers northeast of Chhinchu Bazaar.

The people were on their way to a big religious fair at Subha-ghat area. Around two hundred people reportedly managed to swim to safety.

The Home Ministry has confirmed that six people died in the bridge collapse and stated that rescue teams were on their way. The ministry also informed that a rescue helicopter has reached the site.

ANI