Morbi bridge collapse LIVE: Gujarat CM announces state-wide mourning on November 2

Gujarat cable bridge collapse LIVE updates, October 31, 2022: The British-era suspension bridge opened for public on October 26, which marked the Gujarati New Year, after undergoing a six-month-long renovation.

In a horrific incident that unfolded on Sunday evening, hundreds of people fell into the Machchuu river in Gujarat's Morbi district after a cable suspension bridge they were walking on, collapsed. More than 130 people have lost their lives, and multiple teams of SDRF, NDRF, Indian Army and even Coast Guard have been deployed for relief work.

The British-era bridge opened for public on October 26 after undergoing a six-month-long renovation. At the time of the incident, 400-500 people were on the bridge, and when it collapsed, hundreds of them fell into the river. Several visuals and videos have emerged showing people holding onto the cables of the collapsed bridge and even swimming to navigate themselves to safety.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, who cancelled all his scheduled events for Sunday, reached the collapse site late last night to take stock of the situation. He also visited the district hospital where the injured have been admitted. Patel had spoken with Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after the incident happened, and the latter had called for “urgent mobilisation” of teams.

State home minister Harsh Sanghavi, meanwhile, informed that a criminal case has been registered in the matter and those found guilty will be given strict punishment. He added that a five-member committee has been formed to unearth the lapses in the renovation work of the bridge.

Follow all the updates here:

• Oct 31, 2022 10:00 PM IST

  Gujarat to mourn deceased on Wednesday

  2 નવેમ્બરે રાજ્યમાં સરકારી ઇમારતો પર રાષ્ટ્રધ્વજ અડધી કાઠીએ રાખવામાં આવશે તેમજ કોઈ સરકારી જાહેર સમારંભો, સત્કાર સમારોહ કે મનોરંજન કાર્યક્રમો યોજાશે નહીં.

  — Bhupendra Patel (@Bhupendrapbjp) October 31, 2022

  On November 2, Gujarat will observe state-wide mourning to for victims of bridge collapse, announces CM Bhupendra Patel.

• Oct 31, 2022 09:16 PM IST

  UAE foreign minister condoles loss of lives

  हम गुजरात में पुल गिरने के पीड़ितों के संबंध में सरकार और भारत के लोगों के प्रति अपनी संवेदना व्यक्त करते हैं। हम सभी घायलों के शीघ्र स्वस्थ होने की कामना करते हैंI

  — عبدالله بن زايد (@ABZayed) October 31, 2022

  We express our condolences to the government and people of India regarding the victims of bridge collapse in Gujarat. We wish a speedy recovery to those injured: Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan

• Oct 31, 2022 08:31 PM IST

  PM Modi chairs high-level review meet

  At Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar, PM Modi briefed on the rescue and relief operations.

• Oct 31, 2022 08:02 PM IST

  Polish PM extends condolences

  I am devastated with the tragedy in Gujarat. On behalf of the government of Poland I am sending my deepest condolences to Prime Minister @narendramodi. We mourn all the victims and suffer together with their families and all the people of India.

  — Mateusz Morawiecki (@MorawieckiM) October 31, 2022

  I am devastated with the tragedy in Gujarat. On behalf of the government of Poland I am sending my deepest condolences to Prime Minister @narendramodi. We mourn all the victims and suffer together with their families and all the people of India: Mateusz Maorawiecki

• Oct 31, 2022 06:40 PM IST

  ‘Culprits to be held as and when evidence found’: Police

  Questioned on non-arrest of Oreva owners, police say culprits will be nabbed 'as and when evidence found.'

• Oct 31, 2022 06:29 PM IST

  9 people arrested, say police

  We arrested 9 people after filing FIR under various sections of IPC. Those arrested include the managers of Oreva company, and ticket clerks: Ashok Yadav, IG, Rajkot range

• Oct 31, 2022 06:20 PM IST

  Shops in Morbi observe voluntary bandh

  Gujarat | Shops in Morbi remained closed today as the city mourns the death of 132 people in yesterday's suspension bridge collapse
  
  To pay respects to the deceased, many establishments in Morbi remained closed today, said a local. pic.twitter.com/MsKJrQtnqY

  — ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2022

  To pay respects to the deceased, many establishments in Morbi remained closed today: Local

• Oct 31, 2022 05:32 PM IST

  300 Army personnel deployed: Reports

  Around 300 Army personnel deployed in search & rescue ops at incident site. Army columns equipped with Engineer Stores are assisting NDRF, SDRF, IN, Coast Guard in rescue op and assisting civil administration and police in crowd management and security: Reports

• Oct 31, 2022 04:25 PM IST

  PM Modi becomes emotional

  #WATCH | PM Modi gets emotional as he talks about #MorbiBridgeCollapse tragedy, in Gujarat's Banaskantha pic.twitter.com/0pmVmGmC0f

  — ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2022

  PM Modi, speaking in Banaskantha, becomes emotional on Morbi bridge collapse.

• Oct 31, 2022 03:55 PM IST

  Survivor recalls moment bridge collapsed

  #WATCH | An injured survivor in the #MorbiBridgeCollapse recounts the harrowing moment when the suspension bridge collapsed and how he saved himself pic.twitter.com/MWX3HpwqmT

  — ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2022

  An injured survivor recounts the moment when the suspension bridge collapsed and how he saved himself.

• Oct 31, 2022 03:14 PM IST

  Saudi Arabia sends its condolences

  #Statement | The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s sincere condolences to the friendly Republic of #India, due to the unfortunate collapse of a suspension bridge in the western Indian state of #Gujarat, which caused a number of casualties. pic.twitter.com/BemvFACuu9

  — Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) October 31, 2022

  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s sincere condolences to the friendly Republic of #India, due to the unfortunate collapse of a suspension bridge in the western Indian state of #Gujarat, which caused a number of casualties: Statement

• Oct 31, 2022 02:31 PM IST

  US embassy condoles loss of lives

  The U.S. Mission in India is deeply saddened by news of the collapse of a suspension bridge in Morbi, Gujarat. Our condolences go out to the victims and families of this terrible tragedy.

  — U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) October 31, 2022

  "The U.S. Mission in India is deeply saddened by news of the collapse of a suspension bridge in Morbi, Gujarat. Our condolences go out to the victims and families of this terrible tragedy."

• Oct 31, 2022 02:25 PM IST

  Vladimir Putin sends condolences for the loss of lives

  Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his grief over the loss of lives in Morbi bridge collapse. "Dear Ms President (Droupadi Murmu), dear Mr Prime Minister (PM Narendra Modi), please accept my heartfelt condolences over the tragic bridge collapse in the state of Gujarat,” his message posted on Kremlin's website read.

• Oct 31, 2022 01:29 PM IST

  Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot reaches Morbi hospital to meet injured

  Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot on Monday reached the hospital in Morbi where several injured people in the bridge collapse are admitted.

• Oct 31, 2022 01:23 PM IST

  PM Modi will visit Morbi tomorrow afternoon: CMO Gujarat

  પ્રધાનમંત્રીશ્રી આવતીકાલે ૧ તારીખે બપોર પછી મોરબીની મુલાકાત લેશે.

  — CMO Gujarat (@CMOGuj) October 31, 2022

  Taking to Twitter on Monday, CMO Gujarat informed that PM Narendra Modi will visit Morbi tomorrow afternoon. Read more.

• Oct 31, 2022 12:29 PM IST

  Cong delegation, including Rajasthan CM, en route to Morbi

  A Congress delegation, including Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, is en route to the Morbi bridge collapse site. Furthermore, all programmes of the grand old party, including five rallies, have been cancelled.

• Oct 31, 2022 12:04 PM IST

  Gujarat Police file FIR against private agencies

  Gujarat Police has filed an FIR against private agencies for attempt to commit culpable homicide in the Morbi bridge collapse incident. Cops said that the management person or agency did not take due care and quality check of the bridge before re-opening it for public on October 26, thereby displaying severe carelessness. 

• Oct 31, 2022 11:28 AM IST

  Nepal's PM says ‘deeply saddened’ by ‘tragic incident’

  I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident of bridge collapse in Morbi, Gujarat. We extend heartfelt condolences to the Government and people of India on the loss of precious lives. Our thoughts & prayers are with the bereaved families.

  — Sher Bahadur Deuba (@SherBDeuba) October 31, 2022

  Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba took to Twitter on Monday to condole the loss of lives in Gujarat's Morbi district. “I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident of bridge collapse…Our thoughts and prayers are with the beareaved families,” he tweeted.

• Oct 31, 2022 10:22 AM IST

  Drones put to task to help in search and rescue operation

  #WATCH | Gujarat: Drones being used to help in the search and rescue operation in Morbi, following the incident of #MorbiBridgeCollapse
  
  The death toll stands at 132, operation is underway. pic.twitter.com/qlA8BCtnva

  — ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2022

  Drones are being used to help in the search and rescue operation in Morbi, a video shared by news agency ANI showed on Monday.

• Oct 31, 2022 09:52 AM IST

  In Gujarat for National Unity Day, PM condoles loss of lives

  PM Narendra Modi, who is in Gujarat today for the National Unity Day, condoled the loss of lives in the Morbi bridge collapse incident. He said that though he is in Ekta Nagar, his mind is with the “victims of Morbi”. “Rarely in my life, would I have experienced such pain. On one hand, there is a pain-riddled heart and on the other hand, there is the path to duty,” he added.

• Oct 31, 2022 09:36 AM IST

  Eyewitness says ‘never saw anything like this’

  Gujarat | "I can't describe it in words. There were children as well. I helped people as members of my own family. I also gave my vehicle to carry bodies to the hospital. The admin also helped too. I never saw anything like this ever," says Haseena, an eyewitness to #MorbiTragedy pic.twitter.com/dJ7lgj9BoU

  — ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2022

  Eyewitness says she never “saw anything” like the Morbi bridge collapse accident. Speaking with news agency ANI, Haseena said that she “can't describe it in words”. “There were children as well. I helped people as members of my own family. I also gave my vehicle to carry bodies to the hospital. The admin also helped too,” she was quoted as saying.