Collapsed bridge in Gujarat – More than 141 dead in suspension bridge collapse in India – News

  • At least 141 people have died when a suspension bridge collapsed in Morbi, Gujarat state, India.
  • At least 170 people were rescued from the river
  • Numerous people are still missing.

The accident happened in Morbi in the state of Gujarat, according to the newspaper “The Times of India” and local media. Many victims fell into the water. A major rescue operation is underway. Helpers were in boats.

Gujarat’s Interior Minister Harsh Sanghavi said more than 170 people had been rescued. A local TV station speaks of 177 people. The footbridge, which spans the Machchhu River, was only recently reopened after renovation work, it said. The building was around 100 years old.

Rescue work is still ongoing


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SRF News: Has the rescue work been completed?

no The rescue work was made more difficult by the fact that it was already dark at the time of the accident.

SRF News: A possible reason for the collapse is that the safety of the bridge had apparently not been checked sufficiently. Is that correct?

The bridge had just been renovated for months. At the time of opening, however, it had not yet been approved by the state supervisory authorities.

The interview was conducted by Claudia Weber.

According to local media, many people were on the suspension bridge at the time of the collapse. Hundreds of people were mentioned in some media. «We are shocked. 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 is no official information on the cause so far. Media reports say that the construction may not have withstood the load of too many people. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office announces compensation for victims’ families on Twitter.

Hindu rituals on the bridge


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The bridge dates back to the 19th century, when India was a British colony. According to local media, hundreds of people were on the suspension bridge at the time of the collapse. Many of them performed rituals on the bridge related to the Hindu festival of Chhath Puja, which worships a sun deity.

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