16 bodies of 'bridge collapse' recovered, rescue operation continues

The security bodies including the locals have continued their search effort today too to find the missing people who were drowned in Bheri River on Tuesday after the 'hanging bridge' over the river in Mehalkuna of Surkhet district collapsed due to the overload of people returning from a fair.

The dead bodies of 16 people have been recovered yet and more than 70 people are said to have gone missing. Thirty four persons are seriously injured in the incident. The injured are under the treatment in different hospitals in the country.

Officials of the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, Maoist workers and Nepal Red Cross Society along with the local people have been mobilized for rescue works. An army helicopter has also been put on standby for rescue works.

Rescue teams of security bodies and other organizations along with the local people had helped Tuesday more than 40 people swim ashore while other 200 had swum on their own.

Issuing a statement on Tuesday, Home Ministry had said that it was deeply socked with the incident. Ministry had also expressed its heartfelt condolence towards the deceased.