"We ended the search operation as local people have not reported any more people missing," Head of Data and Information Center of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said here on Monday.
The decision to halt the operations was taken after a joint coordination meeting among the local authorities of Klungkung and Bali, the National Military, the National Police, the SAR Office, the local Public Works Office, the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency of Bali and the local society.
Nugroho disclosed that a total of eight people died while 34 others were injured in the bridge collapse accident.
As many as 17 motorcycles, which had plunged into the water, have also been retrieved by the rescue team.
The bodies of the victims have been handed over to their families in Jungut Batu and Nusa Lembongan villages for funeral.
The 150-meter Yellow Bridge, also called by the local people as the Love Bridge, collapsed on Sunday at 18:30 Eastern Indonesian Time (GMT+8).
The local Public Works Office said the bridge, constructed in 1995, was designed for pedestrians only. However, in practice, motorcycles were also passing through the bridge.
The local authority inspected the bridge on Thursday and after declaring it unfit for use, posted warning signs on the bridge.
However, the local people continued to use the bridge since it was the only facility linking the two islands.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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