At least 45 people, including a newlywed couple, were killed Saturday as a lorry fell from a bridge into river in Anjozorobe, a town 90 kilometres northeast of Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital.

“Forty five, including nine children, 27 women and nine men, were killed on spot while 24 others injured, during the accident,” the mayor of Anjozorobe, Dr. Lova Andriamanantsoa, told Xinhua by telephone.

“The victims were in wedding procession when a lorry which transported around 70 relatives of the newlyweds failed a bridge and dropped directly into a river called Mananara,” Andriamanantsoa said.

“The newlyweds were also inside the lorry,” Andriamanantsoa said, adding that the main reason of the accident is not yet known because the driver also died.

“Most of them were killed by suffocation in the water.”

In general, in rural areas of Madagascar, there are few cars and the road condition is usually very bad, especially during the rainy season.

Only a lorry is practicable to transport many people, a reason the family rented a lorry to transport their guests during the wedding. (NAN)

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