Over 60 dead as suspension bridge collapses into river in India’s Gujarat
New Delhi, Oct 30 (EFE).- More than 60 people have died after a suspension bridge collapsed in the western Indian state of Gujarat, local authorities reported Sunday.
Hundreds of people were reportedly on the newly-renovated bridge when it snapped and plunged into the Machchhu river in the Morbi district of Gujarat.
The death toll was confirmed by Gujarat’s regional housing and rural development minister Brijesh Merja in remarks to local media. He added that rescue operations were ongoing.
“The bridge was renovated last week. We are also shocked. We are looking into the matter,” Merja said in an earlier statement.
The chief minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, cleared his schedule to travel to Morbi, he said in a tweet, adding that troops from the National Disaster Response Force had been mobilized to aid operations.
The regional interior minister Harsh Sanghavi, said authorities managed to rescue a significant number of the people who plunged into the river, although did not give specific figures.
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi said he was “deeply saddened” by the “tragedy.”
“Relief and rescue operations are going on in full swing and all necessary assistance is being provided to those affected,” he said, according to a tweet on his official account.
The pedestrian suspension bridge in Morbi is an iconic piece of infrastructure in the region. It measures 1.25 meters wide and 200 meters long.
The over 100-year-old bridge reopened to the public on October 26 following a renovation. EFE
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