At the least 60 folks have been killed in India when a bridge collapsed within the western state of Gujarat, inflicting a whole lot of individuals to fall into the water, officers mentioned.
The bridge within the city of Morbi had been not too long ago renovated and the federal government would examine how and why the incident occurred, mentioned the Minister of State within the Ministry of Labour and Employment of Gujrat, Brijesh Merja. The present focus was on search and rescue operations, he added.
Chatting with NDTV in an on-camera interview from the location of the tragedy, he mentioned a minimum of 17 folks have been being handled within the hospital. Kids have been amongst these killed, MP Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya instructed NDTV.
Personnel from India's military, navy and air power are aiding in search and rescue operations in line with the Chief Minister of India's Gujarat state, Bhupendra Patel.
Patel mentioned the armed forces can be aiding the Nationwide Catastrophe Response Drive (NDRF) and the State Catastrophe Response Drive (SDRF).
Gujarat state minister Merja mentioned three platoons of the NDRF, 50 Navy personnel, 30 Air Drive personnel, two columns of military personnel and 7 fireplace brigade groups from Rajkot, Jamnagar and Diu have been deployed for rescue and aid efforts. He additionally mentioned an isolation ward has been arrange at Rajkot civil hospital for remedy.
The households of the victims will obtain cash from the Prime Minister's Nationwide Aid Fund, in line with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi tweeted saying he's "deeply saddened" by the tragedy at Morbi, saying rescue and aid operations are ongoing.
TV footage confirmed dozens of individuals holding the cables and stays of the bridge as emergency groups tried to succeed in them on Sunday, Reuters reported.
Some climbed up the wrecked construction to succeed in the river banks, whereas others swam to security.
Greater than 150 folks have been on the bridge, which is a vacationer attraction, on the time of the catastrophe, State House Minister Harsh Sanghavi mentioned.
The 230-metre bridge was constructed within the nineteenth century, and solely reopened to the general public final week after renovation work.
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