Morbi bridge collapse: Over 90 die, rescue ops to continue overnight

Over 90 people, including women and children, were killed and scores were missing in the horrific Morbi bridge collapse on Sunday evening.

India

By Rohini Rajhansh On Oct 31, 2022

Over 90 people, including women and children, were killed and hundreds were injured after a hanging bridge built over Machhu dam in Gujarat’s Morbi district collapsed on Sunday evening, triggering a nationwide panic. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day visit to Gujarat, was among the first to take cognisance of the matter and ordered an urgent mobilisation of teams for rescue ops.

While several bodies were fished out from the river and sent for post-mortem, the injured were rushed to Morbi civil hospital.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel rushed to Morbi to personally monitor the rescue operations and medical services. He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 financial help to those injured in the accident. The chief minister is likely to camp in Morbi till the rescue operations are not over.

Even PM Modi announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives in the mishap in Morbi. The injured will be given Rs. 50,000.

Here’s all you need to know about Morbi bridge collapse tragedy

1. Several teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were airlifted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and sent to Morbi to assist in the rescue operation. Additionally, an Indian Army team from an artillery brigade near Dhrangdhra including doctors and paramedical staff has already reached the accident site in Morbi and taking part in rescue and relief ops.

2. Indian Naval Station Valsura in Jamnagar, Gujarat has sent a team of more than 40 personnel for rescue operations, including marine commandos and seamen who are good swimmers. Helicopters have been put on stand by for rescue operations in Jamnagar and other nearby locations. Garud commandos have been sent from Bhuj and other locations to Morbi.

3. The Gujarat government has set up a five member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by an IAS officer, to inquire into the suspension bridge collapse. The SIT will be headed by Commissioner of Municipalities Rajkumar Beniwal, and the other members are Secretary, Roads and Building Department, Sandeep Vasava, Inspector General of Police Subhash Trivedi, and two engineers specialising in structural and quality control.

4. Several political events, including PM Modi’s public road show, scheduled to be held at Ahmedabad tomorrow have been postponed in the wake of the mishap. Even the Congress has cancelled the ‘Gujarat Parivartan Sankalp Yatra’ in five zones of the poll-bound state for tomorrow.

5. Several political bigwigs, including President Droupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Bengal Chief Mamata Banerjee, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi and others extended condolences over the horrific incident.

Morbi bridge collapse