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Traffic jam causes Philippine bridge to collapse, killing at least four people
The Arab News reported, citing the Associated Press, officials in Philippine said Thursday (Apr 28) that an old earthquake-damaged bridge collapsed under heavy traffic in a central Philippine town, sending about a dozen vehicles plummeting into the river below and killing at least four people.
Police and provincial officials said that an Austrian visitor was among the dead, and at least 23 others including his wife were injured in the bridge’s collapse Wednesday afternoon in the coastal town of Loay in Bohol province.
Regional police chief Brig. Gen. Roque Eduardo Vega said an initial investigation showed the bridge gave way under the weight of vehicles stuck in a traffic jam on it, including a truck loaded with sand and gravel to be used in the construction of a nearby bridge.
Vega told reporters: “The weight of the truck and its cargo caused serious tension to the bridge that caused its collapse."
Police said that the bridge that collapsed had been damaged by a 2013 earthquake that devastated Bohol, but authorities allowed its temporary use while another bridge was being constructed.
Vega identified the Austrian national who died as Michael Osuchan, 30, who was staying on Bohol’s Panglao Island, which is famous for its picturesque beach resorts. The other victims were mostly residents of Loay and nearby towns.
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Police said that out of about a dozen vehicles that plummeted into the river, one car and two motorcycles have been retrieved by the coast guard, firefighters and volunteer divers.
Source: arabnews
