At least 141 people have been killed in the western Indian state of Gujarat after a British-era bridge collapsed on Sunday evening.
Approximately 177 people have been rescued, and teams are still looking for several others who are still missing.
Around 500 people were on the suspension bridge, including women and children, when the cables supporting it snapped, sending people crashing into the river below.
Several people were performing Chhath puja rituals on the 150-year-old bridge, which is located 300 kilometers from Vadodara.
After the bridge collapsed, people piled on top of one another. Many people were seen desperately clinging to the bridge’s remains, while others were seen swimming to safety.
The Machchhu River bridge had been closed for seven months for repairs. On October 26, the Gujarati New Year, it reopened to the public.
“Renovation happened last week. We are also shocked. We are looking into the matter… The government takes responsibility for this tragedy,” Brijesh Merja, Gujarat’s minister for Labour and Employment, told the media.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in Gujarat, stated that rescue and relief operations have been ongoing since yesterday and that the central government is providing all possible assistance to the state.
He said while he was pained, but also has to follow the path of duty.
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi announced this morning that a criminal case has been filed and that a five-member high-powered committee is investigating the bridge collapse. “A case has been registered under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and intentional act causing death against whoever is found responsible,” he said.
Five teams of the National Disaster Response Force or NDRF worked through the night to find the missing.
The Army, Navy, and Air Force also joined the operation later.
The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the family members of each of those who died in the accident and ₹ 50,000 for the injured. The Prime Minister also announced financial assistance of ₹ 2 lakh each to the families of the victims.