India: The dead who fell from the bridge reached 135

Another person injured when the bridge collapsed in India he succumbed to his injuries, bringing the death toll to 135. This is the third day of searching for survivors, although hope is now slim.

The authorities estimate that on the bridge and around it were from 200 to 500 people, among them women and children. The bridge, 1.25 meters wide and 233 meters long, it had reopened to the public after maintenance work, but no safety certificate had been issued by the authorities. “We believe there is one person missing at this time,” said J. T. Padhya, Morbi local government official.

The colonial-era bridge connecting the banks of the Machu River in Morbi town was packed with people in the midst of the Diwali festival, the festival of “lights”, when it collapsed on Sunday night, resulting in hundreds of people falling on top of each other and in the waters of the river from a height of about ten meters.

Army units, Navy divers and specialized rescue teams are involved in the operations in Morbi, which is in the home state and where the current federal prime minister, Narendra Modi rose to political prominence.

The bridge was built in 1880, with materials brought to Gujarat from England. It reopened to the public last Wednesday after seven months of maintenance work. The authorities, who announced that they are conducting a criminal investigation into the tragedy, announced yesterday Monday how they arrested nine peopleamong the contractors and workers at the bridge’s ticket offices.