13 dead in Nepal bridge collapse

At least 13 people were killed and 100 or more feared missing after a footbridge collapsed over a river in western Nepal today, police said.

Dozens of people were walking on a suspension bridge over the Bheri River in Chunchu village, about 310 miles west of the capital of Katmandu, when it collapsed.

Initial reports said some people managed to swim to safety. But there could be many casualties, police said, because the river has strong currents and is difficult to swim.

Police who helped in the rescue, said 12 bodies had been pulled out of the river and another 22 people who were seriously injured were taken to hospitals by helicopters and ambulances.

A large crowd had gathered in the area for a local fair and were crossing the old bridge when the support cables snapped, throwing the people into the river, police said.

Yam Prasad Subedi, a government administrator, said he did not know exactly how long the bridge was, but estimated its span to be about 100 metres (330ft).

Soldiers and police were being taken to the area from the nearby towns of Nepalgunj and Surkhet for a rescue operation.