At least 141 people have been killed after a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday, and officials fear the number could grow amid an ongoing search for survivors.
Authorities have opened a criminal case into one of the worst accidents in the country in the past 10 years, as it was revealed that the structure was recently repaired by a private company, and had reopened on October 26.
Nearly 500 people were on the bridge over the Machchu River in the city of Morbi when it collapsed on Sunday evening, news channel NDTV reported.
“There were a lot of young children among the dead,” one rescuer told the news channel. “It was a Sunday evening so families had come out for a stroll because it’s a popular tourist spot.”
Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said on Monday that a cable at one end of the 230-meter-long bridge appears to have snapped.
He told a news conference that the state of Gujarat has filed a criminal complaint against the Morbi-based Oreva group that was in charge of the maintenance of the 140-year-old bridge.
Sanghavi said a five-member committee had been set up to probe up the bridge collapse.
Jigar Khunt, an information department official in Gujarat, told the Associated Press that at least 177 survivors were pulled from the river, while military teams continue searches for the missing.
Hundreds had gathered on the bridge to perform rituals for a religious festival, according to reports. Authorities said the bridge collapsed under the weight of the large crowd who were celebrating the Diwali, or festival of lights, and Chhath Puja holidays.
“There were just too many people on the bridge. We could barely move,” Sidik Bai, 27, told AP from a hospital bed in Morbi. He said he survived by climbing on the bridge and holding onto its cables.
“Everyone was crying for help, but one by one they all began disappearing in the water,” he said.
The bridge had been closed in March for renovation before it reopened for public use last week.
A local politician said 12 family members were killed in the incident. Mohanbhai Kundariya, from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said he lost his sister when the bridge collapsed.
“This is very saddening,” he told news agency ANI on Monday, adding that he belives the bridge collapsed due to the large volume of people.
“There is a lot of silt in the water which is hampering rescue operations, but we are trying our best,” Kundariya said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences and said he would visit Morbi on Tuesday.
“Rarely in my life, would I have experienced such pain,” Modi said during a public event.
“Relief and rescue operations are going on in full swing and all necessary assistance is being provided to the affected,” he tweeted, adding that he is “deeply saddened.”
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