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| Morbi bridge collapse: India PM Modi to visit site | Morbi bridge collapse: India PM Modi to visit site |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The bridge collapse in Gujarat killed more than 100 people | The bridge collapse in Gujarat killed more than 100 people |
| Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Morbi district in India's western state of Gujarat where a bridge collapse has killed more than a hundred people in one of the worst accidents in years. | Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Morbi district in India's western state of Gujarat where a bridge collapse has killed more than a hundred people in one of the worst accidents in years. |
| The colonial-era bridge collapsed into the Machchu river on Sunday, days after it reopened after repairs. | The colonial-era bridge collapsed into the Machchu river on Sunday, days after it reopened after repairs. |
| Search and rescue operations on the river resumed on Tuesday. | Search and rescue operations on the river resumed on Tuesday. |
| Nine people, including employees of a firm contracted to maintain the bridge, have been arrested. | Nine people, including employees of a firm contracted to maintain the bridge, have been arrested. |
| The 230m (754ft) bridge on the Machchu river was built during British rule in the 19th Century. | The 230m (754ft) bridge on the Machchu river was built during British rule in the 19th Century. |
| The bridge was a major local tourist attraction - touted by the state's tourism website as an "artistic and technological marvel" - and reopened only last week after being shut for months for repairs. | The bridge was a major local tourist attraction - touted by the state's tourism website as an "artistic and technological marvel" - and reopened only last week after being shut for months for repairs. |
| 'I survived but my sister is still missing' | 'I survived but my sister is still missing' |
| The brothers who died in the Indian bridge disaster | The brothers who died in the Indian bridge disaster |
| Reports said that several hundred people were on the structure when it collapsed at around 18:40 India time (13:10 GMT) on Sunday. | Reports said that several hundred people were on the structure when it collapsed at around 18:40 India time (13:10 GMT) on Sunday. |
| Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as people clung on to the wreckage, waiting for rescue teams to save them. | Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos as people clung on to the wreckage, waiting for rescue teams to save them. |
| Some tried to swim to the banks of the river and managed to survive but many others were swept away by the fast-moving water. | Some tried to swim to the banks of the river and managed to survive but many others were swept away by the fast-moving water. |
| The police on Monday said at least 141 people had been killed, but later revised that number to 135, without giving a reason for the updated toll. | The police on Monday said at least 141 people had been killed, but later revised that number to 135, without giving a reason for the updated toll. |
| Officials said that most of victims were women, children and elderly people. | Officials said that most of victims were women, children and elderly people. |
| Ahead of Modi's visit | |
| By Geeta Pandey, Morbi, Gujarat | |
| Ever since it became known that Mr Modi will be visiting Morbi on Tuesday afternoon, officials have been hard at work to spruce up the town. | |
| Streets are being swept clean, entry to the bridge where the prime minister will first arrive is clogged with police and administration officials, and hospitals where he's going to meet the injured are being scrubbed clean. | |
| At the government-run civil hospital which I visited in the forenoon, I saw men bringing in new mattresses and clean linen for the injured patients. | |
| For the townspeople, life is limping back to normal - shops are reopening and there's traffic on the streets. | |
| But it's all quiet at Jhulto Pul, one of the town's most prominent tourist spots and the scene of Sunday's tragedy. | |
| The only sounds one hears there are the purring engines of rescue boats as they continue to criss-cross the muddy river waters, looking for any more bodies. | |
| On Monday, teams of disaster response workers and Indian military scoured the river in small boats, paddling through its muddy waters and the mangrove shrubs in search of the missing. Hundreds of locals too joined in the efforts, while distressed relatives searched for their loved ones. | On Monday, teams of disaster response workers and Indian military scoured the river in small boats, paddling through its muddy waters and the mangrove shrubs in search of the missing. Hundreds of locals too joined in the efforts, while distressed relatives searched for their loved ones. |
| By evening, the rescuers had managed to recover 134 bodies. Search operations were paused for the night but resumed on Tuesday, with platoons of rescuers reaching the spot early morning. | By evening, the rescuers had managed to recover 134 bodies. Search operations were paused for the night but resumed on Tuesday, with platoons of rescuers reaching the spot early morning. |
| At least 170 people have been rescued so far. A police official present at the site told the BBC that they would continue the search until everyone was accounted for. | At least 170 people have been rescued so far. A police official present at the site told the BBC that they would continue the search until everyone was accounted for. |
| Rescue work on the river resumed on Tuesday morning | |
| Gujarat is the home state of Mr Modi, who said he was "deeply saddened by the tragedy". The state government has announced a day of mourning in the state on Wednesday. | Gujarat is the home state of Mr Modi, who said he was "deeply saddened by the tragedy". The state government has announced a day of mourning in the state on Wednesday. |
| Authorities have promised a full investigation after questions were raised about whether safety checks were done before the bridge was reopened. | Authorities have promised a full investigation after questions were raised about whether safety checks were done before the bridge was reopened. |
| Police say the nine people arrested are all associated with Oreva group, the firm contracted to maintain and operate the bridge. | Police say the nine people arrested are all associated with Oreva group, the firm contracted to maintain and operate the bridge. |
| They include two managers, two ticket clerks, two contractors and three security guards for negligence leading to the tragedy. | They include two managers, two ticket clerks, two contractors and three security guards for negligence leading to the tragedy. |
| They are being investigated for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, senior police officer Ashok Kumar Yadav said. | They are being investigated for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, senior police officer Ashok Kumar Yadav said. |
| The firm has been accused of multiple lapses, including its alleged failure to get a fitness certificate from the municipality. | The firm has been accused of multiple lapses, including its alleged failure to get a fitness certificate from the municipality. |
| Oreva has not responded to questions about the collapse. Some are asking if top-level managers in the company will also be investigated. | Oreva has not responded to questions about the collapse. Some are asking if top-level managers in the company will also be investigated. |
| Funerals for some of the victims have been taking place in Morbi | |
| The tragedy - the worst in the country in many years - has devastated the people of Morbi, a quaint little town known for its thriving ceramic industry. | The tragedy - the worst in the country in many years - has devastated the people of Morbi, a quaint little town known for its thriving ceramic industry. |
| On Monday, two main crematoriums in the city were running full, even as a search for survivors continued. In cases where entire families were wiped out in the accident, locals took it upon themselves to perform their last rites. | On Monday, two main crematoriums in the city were running full, even as a search for survivors continued. In cases where entire families were wiped out in the accident, locals took it upon themselves to perform their last rites. |
| Meanwhile, several others were reportedly still missing on Tuesday. | Meanwhile, several others were reportedly still missing on Tuesday. |
| Siddique, who went to see the bridge with his friend, says he has been looking for him since Sunday night. | Siddique, who went to see the bridge with his friend, says he has been looking for him since Sunday night. |
| "We were standing in the middle of the bridge when it broke. I clung on to a part of the broken bridge and somehow made my way out, but I don't know where my friend is," he says. | "We were standing in the middle of the bridge when it broke. I clung on to a part of the broken bridge and somehow made my way out, but I don't know where my friend is," he says. |