GUJARAT BRIDGE COLLAPSE TRAGEDY: EYEWITNESSES RECOUNT INSTANCES FROM HORRIBLE MORBI INCIDENT

Eyewitnesses' accounts of the tragic collapse of the suspension bridge in Gujarat's Morbi city on Sunday, which took over 132 lives including those of women and children, gave a heartbreaking picture of the disaster.

People from the area recall how they carried children's bodies who were either dead or severely injured in their arms while clinging to the hope that they might somehow survive. A nearby tea vendor who witnessed the freshly restored 140-year-old suspension bridge collapse in fear claimed that people were hanging on the Julto Pul as it fell.

It all happened in a matter of seconds. I witnessed someone holding onto the bridge before their hold slipped and they fell into the sea. It was quite distressing. A 7-month-pregnant woman was also killed in the bridge fall. It completely broke me, he said.

As he described the tragedy, the man who sells tea near the bridge every Sunday broke down several times.

"There were just people dying everywhere. I tried helping as much as I can. Took people to the hospital," said the tea vendor.

This is unlike anything I've ever seen. There was a little kid there. We attempted to save her. We were quite hopeful that she would survive when she spit out a lot of water, but as we hurried her to the hospital, she soon passed away right in front of me. He said, "I was shaken," as tears welled up in his eyes.

Hasina Bhen, a local, choked up as she described the horrible incident.

I never knew what time morning came. My family and I spent the entire night rushing people to the hospital. I've allowed individuals to use both of my cars to transport the injured to medical facilities. My daughter and I each have two sons, and both of them have been just helping people.

When I carried dead children in my own hands and considered bringing them to the hospital, it really shocked me. But they were completely gone. That broke me. I'm not even allowed to talk about it: asina Bhen remarked as she sobbed once again.

Others described how they tried to save others, including young children who were seen clinging to the bridge, but were forced to watch helplessly as they fell into the river and died or were carried away. Some physically fit persons could be seen climbing up the back of the collapsed bridge, which included parts that were in the water.

According to the most recent figures, 132 people had died as a result of the accident as of Monday morning. According to Harsh Sanghavi, the home minister for Gujarat, a criminal case has been filed in connection with the occurrence.

According to officials, teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force, NDRF, and Fire Brigade carried out a search operation all night to find persons who had fallen into the Macchu river when the bridge collapsed.

Following the incident, at midnight, the Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Minister Brijeshbhai Merja, Minister of State Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani, Minister of State for Home Affairs Harshbhai Sanghvi, and Minister of State Shri Arvindbhai Raiyani arrived at the scene and personally oversaw the rescue effort while providing instructions.