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)