Bali suspension bridge collapse kills eight people, including three children, and injures 30 others

Authorities say the bridge was crowded with people coming back from temple prayers at the time

The Yellow Bridge was only for pedestrians and motorcyclists and is believed to have collapsed as there were too many people on it (REUTERS)

At least eight people have been killed and 30 others injured after suspension bridge connecting two islands snapped near the island of Bali.

The Yellow Bridge in Klungkung, linking the islands of Lembongan and Ceningan near the Indonesian resort island, collapsed at around 6:30pm local time on Sunday evening.

A spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the bridge was crowded with people returning from temple prayers at the time of the accident.

The victims, which include three children aged between three and nine, have been identified but their names have not been released.

Two of those injured remain in a serious condition in hospital but the rest suffered minor injuries.

Initial reports suggest there were no foreign nationals involved in the accident.

The head of the sub-district of Nusa Penida, Gusti Ngurah Agung Mahajaya, said authorities were still trying to determine whether any people were missing.

Many of those killed or injured are believed to have been hit by falling debris as the water was less than two metres deep, the Sun reported.

Authorities believe that too many people were passing over the bridge as part of a religious ceremony when it collapsed but the cause of the accident is yet to be confirmed.

The bridge, which was about 100 metres long and 1.5 metres wide and used only by pedestrians and motorcyclists, collapsed as many people were passing over it while returning from praying at a temple on Ceningan island.

Additional reporting by AP