Deadly bridge collapse off Indonesia's Bali island

The bridge connected two small islands off Bali's south-east coast

A bridge connecting two small islands near the Indonesian resort island of Bali has collapsed, killing at least eight people, officials say.

People were passing over the suspension bridge for a religious ceremony when the accident occurred, a police officer told Reuters news agency.

The water was not deep but many of the victims were crushed by debris, he said.

Thirty other people were injured. All were reported to be local residents.

The bridge, which carries pedestrians and motorbikes, connects the islands of Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan, which lie off the south-east coast of Bali.

The collapse occurred around 1830 local time (1030 GMT). The bridge was busy because people were taking part in a Hindu ceremony at a nearby temple.

"Before the bridge collapsed it was already shaking," disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told AFP news agency.

"Some motorcyclists and people fell into the sea, and people in the area immediately tried to save them."

Three children were reported to be among the dead. Earlier reports had put the death toll at nine but this was revised.

Officials said it was not clear whether anyone was missing. A fresh search would begin at daybreak, one said.

Andrew Sutherland, a British expatriate and tour operator in the area, told the BBC the bridge was the only one connecting the two islands.

"It's been there for about 30 years and it is quite a rickety bridge," he said. "It's only used for a few people to cross at the same time, normally motorbikes, nothing more than that.

"Unfortunately today was a very large ceremony for the local population and a large amount of people were crossing the bridge when it did collapse."