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NEW DELHI (AP) — At least 60 people were killed and many feared injuries after a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed into a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Sunday night, officials said.
Authorities said a 19th-century colonial-era bridge over the Machechu River in the state’s Morbi region collapsed because it could not handle the weight of the large crowd as a Hindu festival drew hundreds of people to the recently opened tourist attraction.
The bridge, which was closed for nearly six months for renovations, only reopened four days ago.
It was unclear how many people were on the 764-foot-long bridge, but officials feared the death toll could rise.
So far, 60 people have died and 17 have been hospitalized, State Minister Brijesh Merja told reporters.
Emergency workers and rescuers were looking for survivors, Merja said, and most of the casualties were teenagers, women and the elderly. Teams from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force were also dispatched to help with the rescue.
“Rescue operations are underway,” Merja was quoted as saying by the News Agency of India. “There are reports that several people were injured. They are being taken to hospital.”
Video on social media showed people clinging to the metal cables of the partially submerged bridge in distress as emergency teams and rescuers approached them using boats and pneumatic tires. Someone was seen swimming to safety ashore. Others recovered from the water were taken and taken to hospital in private cars and ambulances.
Local news channels broadcast photos of the missing shared by relatives in an effort to find loved ones.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a three-day visit to his home state of Gujarat, said he was “deeply saddened by this tragedy”. His office announced compensation for the families of the deceased and urged swift rescue efforts.
Meanwhile, the state government said it had formed a special team to investigate the disaster.
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