The death toll soars past 130 from suspension bridge collapse in India
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This image from video shows the commotion outside a hospital where victims of a cable bridge collapse were being rushed in for treatment Sunday in Morbi district, western Gujarat state, India.AP -
Rescuers on boats search in the Machchu river next to a cable bridge that collapsed in Morbi district, western Gujarat state, India.Rajesh Ambaliya / AP
MUMBAI — A suspension bridge collapsed in the western Indian state of Gujarat as the death toll soared on Monday.
People fell into the Machchu river when the incident happened Sunday night in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.
The AP quoted local authorities who said the 19th-century, colonial-era pedestrian bridge over the Machchu river in the state's Morbi district collapsed because it could not handle the weight of the large crowd.
A private company had repaired the bridge for six months before it was opened to the public four days ago. The 100-year-old bridge, located in a town about 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) west of the state capital, was a tourist attraction.
Modi has announced monetary compensation of 200,000 Indian rupees (about $2,400) to families of the dead.
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