The collapse of a disused bridge in the Philippines caused the deaths of eight children on Tuesday night in the city of Dasmarinas, 40 km south of Manila. 

The children fell into a river and died from drowning, local officials said. 

Five other children survived the fall and sustained minor injuries, while the bodies of the remaining children who were aged from 12 to 17 were recovered by rescuers in the Imus river.

Rescuers told reporters that the bridge was built decades ago and had to be closed off for years due to safety concerns.

This unfortunate accident is just one of the many consequences of poor and insufficient infrastructure in the Philippines. Although the country has relatively adequate access levels to water, sanitation, and electricity, service levels have failed to keep up with rapid population growth and urbanization.

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