UPDATE: Death toll reaches 91 with pedestrian suspension bridge in Gujarat, India allegedly lacking official paperwork

At least 91 people died when a pedestrian cable bridge snapped and collapsed in Morbi in the Gujarat region of India, while allegedly lacking the relevant safety certificate.

Sunday, October 30 at 6:55pm

According to NDTV in India, the death toll has risen to 91 after a bridge collapsed in the Gujarat region. The news outlet also reported an official informing them that the suspension bridge allegedly opened four days ago after seven months of repairs, but lacked the official ‘fitness certificate’ from the municipal authorities.

Sandeepsinh Zala, the Chief Officer of Morbi Municipality told them: “The bridge was given to Oreva company for operation and maintenance for 15 years. In March this year, it was closed to the public for renovation. It reopened after renovation on the Gujarati New Year day celebrated on October 26”.

He added: “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”.

Sunday, October 30 at 5:05pm

At least 28 people are feared to have died by drowning this evening, Sunday, October 30, in the Gujarat region of western India when a pedestrian cable bridge suddenly snapped and collapsed. Around 400 people are thought to have been crossing the bridge at the moment it broke, plunging them into the waters below.

Initial reports online suggest that another 43 people have been injured, with at least 80 other people missing in the river. Video footage uploaded onto social media shows the horrific aftermath of the collapse in the Morbi district.

One video, taken some hours before the incident occurred, shows the bridge totally packed full of people trying to cross. According to one news source, the cable bridge had only recently reopened five days ago following renovation work.

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https://twitter.com/sotiridi/status/1586733532487057408?s=20&t=HxKcnVC17oRYZe2WkJe-2w

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