9 dead after bridge collapses over swollen river in Bengkulu, Indonesia
Nine people died in Bengkulu, Indonesia after a suspension bridge collapsed over a swollen river on Sunday afternoon, January 19, 2020. Aside from the fatalities, one other person went missing, according to the search and rescue team.
In a statement from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), 17 others survived the tragedy. The agency said the incident happened after extreme weather and intense rainfall.
Authorities suspect that the bridge was destroyed on account of carrying heavy loads. The agency estimated around 30 people were on the bridge when it collapsed.
"According to [the] information we obtained, they were spending their free time on the bridge at the time of the incident. Some of them are junior and high school students," Kaur Disaster Mitigation Agency head Ujang Safiri said.
Featured image credit: Liputan6/YouTube
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