At least 91 people, mostly women and children, were killed and 80 others injured after a colonial-era cable bridge over a river collapsed in the Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday evening, reports AP.
But Reuters, citing officials, put the figure at 68, with AFP saying that no fewer than 60 people died in the incident.
The tragedy occurred in Morbi district of Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, around 6.45pm. The PM is currently on a three-day visit to the poll-bound state in western India.
Authorities said more than 400 people were in and around the suspension bridge over the Machhu River in the town of Morbi at the time of the collapse, according to Reuters.
TV footage showed dozens of people clinging onto the cables and twisted remains of the collapsed bridge as emergency teams struggled to rescue them. Some clambered up the broken structure to try to make their way to the river banks, while others swam to safety.
“The death toll is 68,” NK Muchhar, a senior official in Morbi, told Reuters.
At least 30 people had also been injured, other officials said.
State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said more than 150 people were on the narrow cable-stayed bridge, a tourist attraction that drew many sight-seers during the festive season, when Diwali and Chhath Puja are celebrated.
The 230-metre historic bridge was built during British rule in the 19th century. It had been closed for renovation for six months and was reopened for the public last week.
Broadcaster NDTV reported that the bridge reopened despite not having a safety certificate, and that video footage from Saturday showed it swaying.
The Gujarat government on its official website describes the bridge as “an engineering marvel built at the turn of the century”.
PM Modi directed the state chief minister to mobilise teams urgently for the rescue operation.
FLASH: A cable bridge collapse in Western India has left at least 40 people dead and over 100 trapped.
Fifty navy and 30 air force officials were pressed into action along with national disaster management team to trace missing people, the government said in a statement. A five-member special team was appointed to conduct an investigation into the disaster.
Morbi is one of the largest ceramic manufacturing clusters in the world and accounts for more than 80% of India’s ceramic output.
The incident comes ahead of elections in Gujarat, which are expected to be held by the year-end with the current term of the Modi’s ruling party’s term ending next February.
Accidents from old and poorly maintained infrastructure including bridges are common in India.
In 2016 the collapse of a flyover onto a busy street in the eastern city of Kolkata killed at least 26 people. Rescue workers pulled out nearly 100 people injured from under huge concrete slabs and metal.
In 2011 at least 32 people are killed when a bridge packed with festival crowds collapsed in northeast India, about 20 miles from the hill town of Darjeeling.
Less than a week later around 30 people were killed when a footbridge over a river in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh collapsed.
In 2006 at least 34 people were killed when a 150-year-old bridge collapsed on a passenger train in the railway station in the eastern state of Bihar.
FLASH: A cable bridge collapse in Western India has left at least 40 people dead and over 100 trapped. Take a look:pic.twitter.com/klYIaWBacX
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) October 30, 2022
