Indonesia: Nine dead after bridge collapses during religious Hindu celebration
17th October 2016
AT least nine people were killed and 30 others injured after a suspension bridge collapsed near the resort island of Bali, Indonesian officials said.
A spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, says the bridge, linking the small islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan off of Bali, collapsed Sunday evening.
Nugroho says eight of the victims who died have been identified. They include three children aged from 3 to 9. He says two of the injured were in serious condition, while the others suffered minor injuries.
Pkl 21 Wita evakuasi dihentikan & dilanjutkan besok. 8 tewas & 30 luka akibat jembatan Lembongan runtuh @Sutopo_BNPB
He said the bridge collapsed as locals were celebrating a religious Hindu festival.
“Many people pass through the bridge During Hari Nyepi Segara (Day of Silence) when not much activities are carried out at sea. The bridge was seen rocking before it collapsed. Several motorcycle riders were among those who fell into the sea during a low tide,” Nugroho said, as quoted by Detik.
He says initial reports indicate that there were no foreigners among the victims.
The head of the subdistrict of Nusa Penida, Gusti Ngurah Agung Mahajaya, said authorities were still trying to determine the number of people still missing, the Associated Press reported.
Mahajaya said the bridge — which was about 100 meters (yards) long and 1.5 meters (5 feet) wide and used only by pedestrians and motorcyclists — collapsed as many people were crossing it while returning from praying at a temple on Ceningan island.
Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) spokesperson, Wayan Aryawan, said the collapse of the Yellow Bridge connecting Lembongan Island and Ceningan was likely due to pre-existing ruptures on the supporting slings of the bridge.
He said the bridge collapsed due to the excessive burden of accommodating a large crowd.
“The bridge gave way because the (supporting) slings snapped,” Aryawan told Detik.
This bridge, which collapsed at around 6pm Sunday, had renovated several times due to damage to the foundation prior to the incident.
Additional reporting from the Associated Press
