At least nine people were killed as cars plunged into a river after a bridge collapsed in India's western state of Gujarat.
A portion of the Gambhira-Mujpur bridge in Vadodara city gave way during peak traffic hours on Wednesday morning, sending at least four vehicles into the Mahisagar river.
An entire slab of the bridge between two piers collapsed following heavy monsoon rains over the past few days in the district. Locals alleged that the 40-year-old bridge, which connected Anand and Vadodara districts, was in a dilapidated condition, and their request for repairs went unheard.
Two trucks, an SUV and a pickup van were crossing the bridge when it went tumbling into the river. Another truck can be seen hanging halfway from the other end of the collapsed portion of the bridge.
"There were two motorcycles on the bridge at the time as well, but so far, we have no confirmation whether they also plunged into the river. We are yet to ascertain the identities of the people as we are focusing on the rescue work," Vadodara district collector Anil Dhameliya told the Indian Express.
The official claimed that the bridge underwent repairs last year.
Gujarat's health minister, Rushikesh Patel, said at least five people were rescued and rushed to the hospital. The state government has pressed national and state disaster rescue teams, along with fire brigade personnel, for the rescue operation on the river.
State chief minister Bhupendra Patel said the "Road and Building Department has been ordered to conduct an immediate investigation into this accident".
Local officials have closed the bridge and cordoned off the area to prevent further incidents.
Prime minister Narendra Modi, who previously served as the state chief of Gujarat, said the accident was "deeply saddening" and offered condolences to those who died. His office has announced an ex-gratia of Rs200,000 (£1,700) for the families of each of the deceased.
India's infrastructure has long been marred by safety concerns, sometimes leading to major disasters on its highways and bridges. In 2022, a century-old cable suspension bridge collapsed into a river in Gujarat, sending hundreds plunging into the water and killing at least 132 in one of the worst accidents in the country in the past decade.
At least four people died in India's western city of Pune last month after a bridge on a river collapsed in a popular tourist destination. The 33-year-old iron bridge over the Indrayani river collapsed when about 125 tourists had gathered.
