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Video: After Gujarat's Morbi bridge collapses, people swim, hold onto cables
Gujarat DGP Ashish Bhatia said that the death figure, which currently stands at 40, could go up and rescue operations are currently underway, with many already taken to safety.
Several teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been mobilised as at least 60 people were killed and hundreds are feared injured after a cable bridge collapsed on the Machchhu river in Gujarat's Morbi district on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought “urgent mobilisation” of rescue teams, and also said that he has spoken with chief minister Bhupendra Patel.
Several visuals and a video have surfaced online that show the immediate moments after the collapse. In the video tweeted by news agency ANI, people could be seen swimming and trying to reach or hold onto the cables of the collapsed bridge. Women and children could also be seen in it.
Catch live updates of Morbi bridge collapse here
There were more people on the bridge than its capacity at the time of the collapse. Reuters, citing local media, reported that 400 people were on the bridge.
Gujarat DGP Ashish Bhatia said that the death toll could go up and rescue operations are currently underway, with many already taken to safety.
Patel took to Twitter to say that he has cancelled all his engagements for the day and is leaving for Morbi to take stock of the situation. “Direct monitoring of the situation and necessary coordination with the system will be achieved by reaching the site in person,” his tweet, roughly translated from Gujarati, read.
Both PM Modi and Patel have announced ex gratia for the families of deceased persons and those injured. While the chief minister has announced ₹4 lakh for the next of kin of deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured, the prime minister said ex gratia of ₹2 lakh from PMNRF will be given to the families of deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
The British-era bridge had undergone a six-month long repair work that was completed before Diwali. It only opened for public last week.
