By DPA
Kathmandu : At least seven people were killed and at least 100 were feared missing after a bridge collapsed in western Nepal Tuesday, officials said.
The suspension bridge over the Bheri River at Medhapura in Surkhet district, about 400 km west of the Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, collapsed as hundreds of people were making their way across.
“Police have managed to recover the bodies of seven people so far,” an official of the district police office said. “Dozens of people are still missing and we have launched rescue operations.”
Initial reports from the area said about 200 people swam to safety but as many as 100 others were missing.
However, the figures have not been officially confirmed.
Police said it was difficult to ascertain the exact number of missing due to chaos following the accident.
Soldiers from the nearby barracks quickly reached the site of the accident and started rescuing people.
At least 14 people were injured and rushed to hospital, the police said.
The bridge connected villages of Dahachaur and Medhapura and the people were on their way to attend a religious fair in a neighbouring village.