Bridge collapse in Brazil leaves at least 3 dead, 15 others missing

RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A bridge over the Tocantins River in northeastern Brazil collapsed, leaving at least three dead and 15 others missing, the civil defense of the state of Maranhao said on Monday.

According to the Federal Highway Police, three trucks, several motorcycles and at least two cars were on the bridge when it collapsed on Sunday afternoon. At the point where the bridge collapsed, the river reached a depth of 50 meters.

The authorities have confirmed the death of a 25-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man, while the identity of the third victim has not yet been determined.

The 533-meter-long bridge connected the cities of Estreito in Maranhao state with Aguiarnopolis in Tocantins state and was a part of the BR-226 federal highway.

Brazil's Minister of Transport Renan Filho declared an investment of 100 million reais (about 16.2 million U.S. dollars) to reconstruct a bridge immediately and assured that the new bridge will be delivered in 2025.

The minister said that an investigation is underway to assess the causes of the collapse. ■