The State government has officially not given any casualty figure but the Prime Minister and Chief Minister have announced the ex gratia for the dead and for the injured.
The State government has officially not given any casualty figure but the Prime Minister and Chief Minister have announced the ex gratia for the dead and for the injured.
At least 90 people have died, while more than a 100 other have been admitted and are under treatment a colonial era cable bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Morbi town on Sunday evening. Over 350 people plunged into the river.
According to Morbi legislator and the State government minister Brijesh Merja, the number will likely go up significantly.
The State government has officially not given any casualty figure but the Prime Minister and Chief Minister have announced the ex-gratia for the dead and for the injured.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other ministerial colleagues have rushed to Morbi to oversee the rescue works by the agencies.
Several teams of NDRF and personnel of Navy and Air Force have been ordered to be airlifted to the site to help in the rescue efforts and comb the river bed as many people are feared drowned in the 10 feet deep water.
| Video Credit: Special Arrangement & ANI
The authorities have launched a rescue operation amidst chaos at the site after the colonial era bridge was reopened after the repair and renovation on October 26th.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Gujarat for three day visit, directed the Gujarat Chief Minister to mobilise teams on urgent basis for rescue works. The State government has also set up a committee to probe the causes that led to the collapse.
It has also emerged that the bridge was reopened after the repair work done by a private trust and fitness certificate was not submitted to the local civic body while reopening it.
Here are the live updates:
Gujarat
PM Modi may visit Morbi tomorrow: sources
According to sources, the BJP is contemplating to cancel PM’s roadshow and other political events in the state. There is also a possibility of PM Modi visiting Morbi tomorrow to take stock of the situation as the death numbers are likely to go up.
The tragedy has occurred on the eve of announcement of Gujarat assembly polls, causing massive embarrassment to the ruling BJP, which lined up several big events and public rallies of PM Modi for October 31 and November 1 in the State.- Mahesh Langa
Gujarat
Collapsed Morbi suspension bridge had reopened 4 days back after 7-month-long repair work; lacked civic body’s fitness certificate
The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi that collapsed on Sunday evening was reopened for the public just four days back after seven months of repair work by a private firm, but had not received the municipality’s “fitness certificate”, an official said.
“The bridge was given to Oreva company for operation and maintenance for 15 years. In March this year, it was closed for the public for renovation. It reopened after renovation on the Gujarati New Year day celebrated on October 26,” said Chief Officer of Morbi Municipality Sandeepsinh Zala.
“It was opened to the public after the completion of the renovation work. But the local municipality had not yet issued any fitness certificate (after the renovation work),” he said.
An “engineering marvel” built at the turn of the 19th century, the suspension bridge was said to reflect “the progressive and scientific nature of the rulers of Morbi,” as per its description on the district collectorate website.
Sir Waghji Thakor, who ruled Morbi till 1922, was inspired by the Colonial influence and decided to construct the bridge, an “artistic and technological marvel” of that period, to connect Darbargadh Palace with Nazarbag Palace (the residences of the then royalty).
The bridge was 1.25 metres wide and spanned 233 metres, and was meant to give a unique identity to Morbi using the latest technology available in those days in Europe, as per the collectorate website.- PTI
Gujarat
Eyewitnesses describe bridge snapping, plunging into the river
Rescue operation under way after an old suspension bridge over the Machchhu river collapsed, in Morbi district on October 30, 2022.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British era “hanging bridge” when it snapped, plunging them into the water below.
Some people were seen jumping on the bridge and pulling its big wires, an eyewitness said. The bridge may have collapsed due to the “huge crowd” on it, he added.
People fell over each other when the bridge collapsed, he said.
“I had come to the river bank along with friends after my office hours when we heard the sound of the bridge snapping. We rushed there and jumped into the water to save people,” an eyewitness said.
“We rescued some children and women,” he said.
A man who was injured in the incident, said the collapse was sudden and may have been due to too many people on the bridge.
Due to the Diwali vacation and being a Sunday, there was a rush of tourists on the bridge, a major tourist attraction- PTI
Gujarat
Death toll rises to 90
The death toll has risen to 90 in the Morbi tragedy. Meanwhile more than a 100 people have been admitted and are under treatment.- Mahesh Langa
Gujarat
NDRF platoons from Rajkot, Jamnagar, Diu & Surendranagar leave for Morbi
For rescue and relief operation three platoons of NDRF with 50 personnel of Indian Navy, 30 personnel of IAF along with two columns of Army personnel and seven teams of fire Brigade have left for Morbi with advanced equipment from Rajkot, Jamnagar, Diu & Surendranagar: Gujarat CMO- Mahesh Langa
Gujarat
Probe committee constituted
Gujarat government has constituted a five-member committee headed by IAS Raj Kumar Beniwal to probe the cable bridge collapse incident in Morbi
New Delhi
President, PM Modi express grief over deaths in Gujarat bridge collapse
Rescue operation unde rway after an old suspension bridge over the Machchhu river collapsed, in Morbi district on October 30, 2022.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Several top leaders including President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed grief after a bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Morbi city on Sunday claiming at least 60 lives.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar prayed for the safe rescue of all.
“Distressed to hear about the tragic incident in Morbi, Gujarat. I pray for the safe rescue of all and the speedy recovery of those injured. My thoughts are with the affected families,” the Vice President Secretariat said in a tweet quoting Dhankhar.
Expressing sadness, Mr. Modi, in a tweet said he has spoken to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and officials. “Relief and rescue operations are going on in full swing and all necessary assistance is being provided,” the prime minister said.
President Murmu, in a tweet, said, “The tragedy in Morbi, Gujarat has left me worried. My thoughts and prayers are with the affected people. Relief and rescue efforts will bring succour to the victims.” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party is making an all-out effort to dislodge BJP from power in the poll-bound state, tweeted, “Very sad news coming from Gujarat. Many people are reported to have fallen into the river after a bridge collapsed in Morbi. I pray to god for everybody’s life and well-being.” – PTI
New Delhi
Congress asks party workers to extend help
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said he was deeply saddened by the suspension bridge collapse in Gujarat’s Morbi that claimed at least 60 lives and appealed to party workers in the state to extend every possible assistance in rescue work.
Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi also said the news of the bridge collapse accident was very saddening, and appealed to all Congress workers to extend all possible help to the injured.
At least 60 people were killed after a nearly century-old suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi city collapsed this evening, officials said.
“Deeply saddened by the tragedy that has struck us with the collapse of the suspension bridge in Morbi, Gujarat,” Kharge said in a tweet.
“I appeal to the @INCGujarat workers to extend every possible assistance in rescue work & helping the wounded. My condolences & prayers are with the bereaved families,” he said.- PTI
Gujarat
Dozens feared dead after suspension bridge collapses in Gujarat’s Morbi
Rescue operation under way after an old suspension bridge over the Machchhu river collapsed, in Morbi district on October 30, 2022
| Photo Credit: PTI
At least 90 people have died, while more than a 100 other have been admitted and are under treatment a colonial era cable bridge collapsed in Gujarat’s Morbi town on Sunday evening.
The State government has officially not given any casualty figure but the Prime Minister has announced an ex-gratia for the dead and the injured. However, the State government has constituted a five-member committee headed by IAS officer Raj Kumar Beniwal to investigate into the incident.
Authorities have launched a rescue operation amidst chaos at the site after the colonial era bridge was reopened after repair and renovation on October 26.
The bridge was reopened without fitness certificate. A private trust had repaired and renovated the bridge and opened it without submitting the fitness certificate, Morbi Municipality officials said.- Mahesh Langa