At least 15 people drowned on Sunday crossing a narrow flooded causeway in Burma as they reached a temple for a Buddhist festival.
Rescue workers said the tragedy unfolded as thousands of worshipers attempted to reach Kyeik Hne pagoda, located on a rocky outcrop about three kilometers from the coast, near the town of Thanbyuzayat in the south of the region. 'Mon State.
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A rescuer told AFP that 15 bodies had been taken to hospital and three people were still missing.
According to local authorities, some died trying to cross the poorly marked causeway, which is only about four meters wide, when the tide was too high.
“
We normally allow people to come at 6:30 am, but they didn't listen to us and started trying to cross too early,
” said Nai Sahai Eain, a local official.
A resident of the area, Nai Wona, told AFP that the roadway was not clearly enough marked, which made it difficult to travel.
Others later drowned after being pushed into the sea from the crowded gangway.
