15 killed, 100 missing in bridge collapse in Nepal

KATHMANDU: The toll in a bridge collapse in west Nepal rose to 15 with recovery of three more bodies from the Bheri river on Wednesday as search operation continued to trace around hundred people still missing.

"Till now 15 bodies have been recovered on the river banks and 50 people including women and girls were rescued by the Army and Police teams from the accident site," a local Pujan Chan said over phone.

The death toll is expected to rise as many people were missing, she said.

More than 1,000 people were said to have been on the suspension bridge over the Bheri River, 600 kilometres Kathmandu, when it collapsed due to over weight.

At least 50 people were injured in the incident and over 100 are still missing. Over 200 people had managed to swim to safety after the incident as the river was not very deep.

Over 100 army personnel and policemen were mobilized for rescue operation.

Helicopter was rushed to the site for rescue after the incident and many injured people have been flown to the hospital in Nepalgunj, Chan said.