Bridge in Bali collapses, killing 9

This picture taken on October 17, 2016 shows a bridge connecting two small islands southeast of Indonesian holiday hotspot Bali that collapsed on October 16, sending motorbikes flying into the water and leaving nine dead and about 30 injured. AFP PHOTO / STR

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A bridge in Bali connecting Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan villages in Klungkung collapsed on Sunday afternoon killing nine people, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

“Nine people have died and 18 others were injured,” BNPB head Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He said that a BNPB team had temporarily postponed the evacuation of the location as personnel were waiting for a report from those who had lost their relatives to be completed.

Sutopo said that inadequate maintenance was the main cause of the collapse, adding that locals had been concerned for years about the porous bridge./rga