CHILD WARNING (CW) 135 people die after bridge collapses in India (aftermath included + pics + backstory)

Morbi, Gujarat, India - Oct 30, 2022

More than 50 children are among 135 people killed in Sunday's bridge collapse in India's Gujarat state, according to a list of victims published by state authorities on Wednesday.

Investigators are examining why the historic suspension bridge in the town of Morbi collapsed, sending dozens of people into the river below, in one of the worst public safety tragedies to hit the country in recent years.

Questions have been raised about how the narrow walkway collapsed and the role of an electrical manufacturing company tasked with maintaining the colonial-era structure, which only reopened to the public last week after repairs.

Here's what we know.

What happened?

Some 200 people are estimated to have been on the bridge across the Machchhu River in the town of Morbi when it collapsed on October 30 at around 6:30 p.m. local time, according to Gujarat authorities.

According to figures released Wednesday, 54 children were among the dead. Most were under 10 years old – the youngest was a 2-year-old boy.

A 36-second video clip shared by the Morbi District Administration via CNN affiliate News-18 shows a large crowd of young men gathered on the bridge in the moments before it collapsed.

The video appears to show some of the men shaking the bridge from side to side before the structure gives way, plunging the people standing on it into the river.

Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said on October 31 that a cable appeared to have snapped.

Photos from the aftermath show people gathering on the riverbank beside the mangled metal walkway, which hung at a sharp angle into the water.

What witnesses say

Survivors and witnesses of the deadly incident described scenes of chaos.

"People were hanging from the bridge after the accident, but they slipped and fell into the river when it collapsed,” Raju, a witness who gave only one name, told Reuters. “I could not sleep the entire night as I had helped in the rescue operation. I brought a lot of children to the hospital.”

Footage shows people swimming to safety after Indian bridge collapse - The Guardian

Narendrasinh Jadeja, whose friend lost seven members of his family, including four children, told Reuters: “I cannot express how angry and helpless I am feeling.”

What we know about the bridge

The Morbi Suspension Bridge was built during British rule around 1900 and is 230 meters (755 feet) long and just 1.25 meters (4 feet) wide.

For decades, it's been a popular tourist attraction in the riverside town, whose cobblestone streets carry the architectural legacy of colonial rule.

The bridge was closed for six months of renovations in April, according to the managing director of Oreva, a Gujarat-based electrical appliances manufacturer that oversaw the maintenance work.

At a reopening ceremony on October 26, the managing director told reporters the structure would not need any major work for “eight to 10 years,” according to a video of the event posted to social media.

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/11/01/india/india-gujarat-morbi-bridge-collapse-explainer-intl-hnk/index.html