Kohistan bridge collapse Search underway to fish out bodies of victims

MANSEHRA: The search is underway to fish out the bodies of the 24 people who drowned in a river in Upper Kohistan district after a pickup vehicle plunged into it as a result of a bridge collapse.

At least 24 people, including nine women, drowned in Kandia river when a pickup vehicle carrying members of a wedding party plunged into it after a suspension bridge collapsed late Friday night. Officials said bodies of eight persons had been recovered.

The district administration has also issued list of the 24 people including nine women.“The vehicle carrying 32 people was on the way back to Kandia after members of a tribe attended a wedding function in nearby village but eight of them had disembarked as the vehicle was crossing the bridge,”

Hamidur Rehman, the deputy commissioner Upper Kohistan,told reporters. He rushed to the scene along with District Police Officer Raja Abdul Saboor and supervised the search operation.

The official said that all those on board were presumed dead as their loved ones who had disembarked the vehicle had confirmed it. “The gushing water in the river is hampering the search for bodies by local people and the police. The sailors could be called to take part in the ongoing operation which is underway since Friday evening,” he said.

The people of Kandia tehsil in Upper Kohistan are still living without any sort of civic amenities.“Kandia tehsil is linked with rest of district through over 70 suspension bridges,” an official in the district administration said. Doraj Khan, the brother of a local MPA Didar Khan, told a small gathering of locals that it was a big tragedy and ChiefMinister Mahmood Khan was due to meet the bereaved families shortly. “We are sure that the chiefministerwould shortly visit Kandia and announce compensation for the grief-stricken families,”

he added. He said the government should start the construction of roads and bridges to avert such tragedies.“The govt should build embankment walls at sides of this river,which caused huge financial and human losses in flash floods in recent years,” Doraj Khan said.