The death toll from the collapse of the Morbi bridge rises to 135: Indian authorities deploy divers, tomorrow is a day of mourning

Bridge in Morbi, Gujarat, India in 2008. (Wikimedia Commons/Cameal Mustafa Sikan...)

JAKARTA - The death toll from a bridge collapse in India rose to 135 on Tuesday, as search operations entered the third day, although authorities say nearly everything believed to be missing is now being recorded.

The colonial-era suspension bridge over the Machchhu River in Morbi was packed with tourists, mostly to celebrate the festivals of Diwali and Chhath Puja, when it collapsed on Sunday evening, sending people plunging about 10 meters (33 feet) into the water.

Authorities say they believe about 200 people were on the bridge when the structure collapsed.

"One person who was injured in the incident and was hospitalized died from his injuries, bringing the toll to 135", GT Pandya, a senior administrative official in Morbi, told Reuters, as reported on November 1.

"Search operations have resumed today. We believe one person is missing at this time", he continued.

Locals at the site of the damaged bridge on Tuesday said they believed more than 200 people were on the bridge and feared the death toll could rise further.

Meanwhile, India's army, navy, and national disaster response force (NDRF) team continued search operations as residents gathered by the river. The bridge with a length of 233 meters and a width of 1.25 meters was originally built in 1877 and was closed for six months for repairs until last week.

"It is suspected that some bodies might be at the bottom of the river. That is why we are continuing the operation with the help of divers", NDRF VVN official Prasanna Kumar told Reuters TV partner ANI.

Separately, CCTV footage of the incident shows a group of youths trying to swing the bridge from side to side, while others took pictures before they fell into the river below as the cable broke.

Indian police arrested nine people on Monday on charges of culpable homicide, which does not amount to murder.

Those arrested included ticketing officers accused of letting too many people onto the bridge, as well as contractors in charge of repair work.

Meanwhile, the state of Gujarat, where the Morbi Bridge is located, declared that Wednesday would be a day of mourning.

The state government said in a statement that 152 people had been discharged from the hospital while 17 were still undergoing treatment.