Nine killed, one missing in Indonesia bridge collapse

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BENGKULU, Indonesia, Jan 20, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Nine people drowned and
another was missing after a bridge collapsed on Indonesia’s Sumatra island,
the disaster agency said Monday.

Some 30 people, mostly students, were on the bridge Sunday afternoon in the
town of Kaur when the newly built crossing suddenly collapsed, hurtling some
teens into the water below while others clutched on to the railing.

The water level in the river below the bridge was higher than usual with
strong currents after torrential downpours pounded the Bengkulu region at the
southern end of Sumatra.

“Some managed to save themselves but 10 others could not fight against the
current and drowned, they were swept away” Ujang Syafiri, head of the
disaster mitigation agency, told AFP, adding that the bridge may have
collapsed due to excessive weight.

A search and rescue team scoured a 20-kilometre radius to find a teenager
who is still missing, he said.

Another victim was rescued after falling into the river but is seriously
injured and has been taken to hospital.

Parts of the Southeast Asian archipelago have received torrential downpours
as the rainy season kicks into high gear.

In and around the capital Jakarta, some 67 people were killed this month as
record rains triggered flooding and landslides.

Lax construction standards have raised widespread concerns about building
and construction safety in Indonesia.