Kabul, Oct 28 (IANS): At least eight passengers lost their lives after a vehicle carrying them from a wooden bridge plunged into a river in Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, provincial authorities said on Monday.

The accident occurred on Monday at 3:00 a.m. (local time) when the wooden bridge broke due to heavy weight on the outskirts of the province's Gayzab district, Agha Wali Qurishi, provincial director of information and culture.

The worn-out condition of the bridge, overloading, and careless driving are the main reasons behind the deadly accident, Xinhua news agency reported.

Road accidents are common in the mountainous central Asian country, often attributed to poor driving, lack of safety measures for travellers on congested roads, challenging terrains, and old vehicles.

Earlier on October 5, 2024, at least seven people, including women and children, lost their lives when a passenger car plunged into a ravine in Afghanistan's Nuristan province.

The incident happened after the car tumbled off a road and fell into the ravine in the province's Doab district, killing seven commuters on the spot and injuring eight others.