Morbi bridge collapse: Eyewitness recount heart-wrenching Gujarat tragedy; how locals rescued injured

Morbi bridge collapse: Nearly 200 jawans from the Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, local fire brigade teams, and local divers and swimmers have joined the search operation.

Image courtesy: ANI

Morbi (Gujarat): Eyewitnesses` accounts painted a heart-wrenching picture of the tragedy of the collapse of the suspension bridge in Gujarat`s Morbi city on Sunday, which claimed over 130 lives including that of women and children. According to the latest reports, the death toll in the mishap had gone up to 132 on Monday morning. Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi said that a criminal case has been registered in connection with the incident, adding "An investigation has begun today under the leadership of Range IGP," Sanghavi said. 

The Gujarat Home Minister further added, "Everyone worked all through the night. The Navy, NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force), Air Force and Army arrived at the spot quickly. More than 200 persons have worked the entire night for search and rescue operations." 

Locals recount Morbi horror, how they rescued injured

Meanwhile, locals recount how they carried the injured, some of them with lifeless bodies of children in their arms, clutching onto a vague hope that they will somehow make it. A tea seller in the vicinity who watched with horror the recently renovated 140-year-old suspension bridge collapse said that people were hanging on to the Julto Pul, as the bridge is commonly known, went down.

"Everything happened within seconds. I saw people hanging on to the bridge and later falling into the water as their grip loosened and they slipped into the water. It was really heartwrenching. A 7-month pregnant woman also died in the bridge collapse. It shattered me to the core," he said. 

The man who sells tea every Sunday near the bridge broke down repeatedly as he recounted the horror, adding "There were just people dying everywhere. I tried helping as much as I can. Took people to the hospital." "I have never seen anything like this. There was this small kid. We tried rescuing her. She spat out a lot of water and we were really happy that she would survive, however she soon took her last breath in front of me as we rushed her to the hospital. I was shaken," he added as tears filled his eyes.

Exclusive CCTV footage of Morbi bridge before crashing down - Watch

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A local woman named Hasina Bhen choked up as she narrated the dreadful incident, adding "I never realized when the morning dawned. My family and I were involved in rushing people to the hospital for the whole night. I have given both my vehicles to people to ferry the injured to hospitals. I have two sons and a daughter and both my sons have been just helping out people and are continuing even now." 

"It really shook me when I carried dead children with my own hands as I thought of taking them to the hospital. But they had nothing left in them. It broke me. I can`t even speak about it.....," said Hasina Bhen as she broke down again.

Others narrated how they attempted to rescue those, including children who were seen clinging on to the bridge but they had to stare helplessly as they fell into the river and either drowned or got swept away. Some able-bodied people were seen climbing up back the broken bridge, part of which was touching the water.

4-yr-old boy survives, parents die in the bridge collapse

In Morbi town's bridge collapse tragedy, a four-year-old boy survived but his parents died in the incident. A resident of Uma township told IANS that their neighbour Hardik Faldu, his wife Miralben, four-year-old son Jiyansh, Hardik`s cousin Harsh Zalavadiya and his wife had gone to visit the cable bridge. In the accident, Hardik and his wife Miral died, whereas Jiyansh was lucky to survive, Jiyansh`s uncle Harsh too has survived and is being treated at a hospital as he has suffered injuries. However, Harsh`s wife also died in the accident.

A Uma town resident said that Hardik is a native of Halvad town and the deceased family members` bodies will be taken to Halvad for cremation on Monday as the town will observe a bandh.

Gujarat's Morbi to observe bandh to mourn deceased

Morbi town is voluntarily observing a bandh on Monday to mourn the deaths of people who died in the incident. Former BJP MLA from Morbi Assembly constituency, Kantilal Amrutiya told media persons on Monday morning that throughout Sunday evening, the search operation was underway as the death toll is estimated to reach 135 after several families are complaining of missing persons.

He told the media that to reduce the water level at the incident site, just a few minutes ago through a limited blast, a check dam was demolished. Once the water recedes it will help the search team to search bodies. He estimates that the search operation is likely to continue for the next 24 hours.

Nearly 200 jawans from the Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, local fire brigade teams, and local divers and swimmers have joined the search operation. Rajkot Collector Arun Mahesh Babu is reportedly camping at Morbi and helping local authorities in search and rescue operations.

(With ANI/IANS Inputs)