Just a few days ago, a pedestrian bridge in India was reopened after its renovation. Hundreds of people are passing the 19th-century structure when it suddenly collapses. The police report at least 120 dead. Authorities promise information and compensation for the bereaved.
The death toll when a suspension bridge collapsed over a river in western India has risen to at least 120. “We have recovered 120 bodies so far,” said the police chief of the city of Morbi in the state of Gujarat, where the accident happened. He assumed that the number would continue to rise as the rescue operation progressed. According to him, more than 130 other people were saved.
According to authorities, the bridge’s suspension cables gave way when around 500 people were on or near the bridge for religious rituals. The 233 meter long and 1.50 meter wide suspension bridge over the Machchhu River, which dates from the British colonial era, was only reopened on Wednesday after seven months of repair work. Many victims fell into the water during the collapse, the media reported. Helpers were also in boats.
An investigation is underway, Gujarat Labor Minister Brijesh Merja told NDTV. Images and videos on social media show how the structure appears to be falling apart in the middle and several people are clinging to avoid falling into the water.
There was initially no official information about the cause. Media reports said the construction might not have withstood the load of too many people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office announced on Twitter that compensation would be paid to the victims’ families.