132 people dead after bridge collapse in India
At least 132 people have been confirmed dead and many others plunged into water after a cable suspension bridge collapsed into a river yesterday evening in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
Officials said that the 19th-century colonial-era pedestrian bridge collapsed because it could not handle the weight of the large crowd as the Hindu festival season drew hundreds of people to the recently opened tourist attraction.
The bridge had been closed for renovation for almost six months and was reopened four days ago.
The number of people on the bridge was not clear but authorities fear that the death toll could rise.
State minister Harsh Sanghvi told reporters that 132 people had died so far and most were admitted to hospitals in critical condition.
He said emergency responders and rescuers worked overnight to search for the survivors and those killed and injured were mostly teenagers, women and the elderly.
The Indian Army, Navy and Air Force were dispatched to help with the rescue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the tragedy while his office announced compensation to the families of the dead and urged speedy rescue efforts.
Opposition parties have demanded an investigation into the collapse, saying that the bridge was reopened without getting safety clearance from the city’s civic body.
