THE death toll in Morbi bridge tragedy has reached to 141 as rescuers continue to search for survivors in a river in India’s western Gujarat state Sunday night.
At least 140 people – most of them women, children or elderly – have died so far, officials say. The death toll is expected to increase.
The 230m (754ft)-bridge in Morbi town had reopened just a week ago after repairs. There was overcrowding on the colonial-era bridge as people gathered on a holiday.
The bridge, in the state of Gujarat, was reopened recently after renovation. Built in 1880, during the Victorian era, it is about 755 feet long, it was learned.
Rescue workers scrambled to pull victims from the river. Video footage released by the Gujarat government showed small boats working through the night to help with the search and rescue, and pulling bodies out of the water. The office of the district collector in Morbi, the district where the bridge collapsed, said 170 people had been rescued.
Around 500 people were performing rituals on the 150-year-old bridge when it snapped. The bridge could take the weight of only about 125 people, according to officials.
