Scores missing in bridge collapse

KATMANDU, Nepal – A steel footbridge collapsed Tuesday in western Nepal under the weight of hundreds of people on their way to a fair, plunging scores about 100 feet into icy Himalayan waters. At least 15 were killed, and more than 100 were missing and feared dead, officials said.

Troops were being rushed to the area to assist with search-and-rescue operations. But with efforts halted by nightfall, hopes were slim of finding more survivors, said Anil Pandey, the top government official in the area.

Authorities believe some 500 people traveling to a village fair were crossing the Bheri River on the bridge when its support cables snapped under the weight, Pandey said.

By nightfall, rescuers had recovered 15 bodies, while 32 seriously injured victims were flown to hospitals in more developed parts of the country, said Dipendra Chetri, a police official.