Death toll rises to 15 in the Gujarat bridge collapse; PM and CM announce aid

The tragic collapse of a section of the Gambhira bridge in Gujarat has seen the death toll rise to 15, following the recovery of three more bodies on Thursday. Four individuals are still reported missing as extensive rescue and search operations continue in and around the Mahisagar River. The bridge, connecting Vadodara and Anand, unexpectedly collapsed on Wednesday, sending several vehicles plummeting into the river below.

Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya confirmed the updated casualty figures, stating, "The death toll stands at 15 now with the recovery of 3 more bodies today. Four people remain missing." He added that teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are conducting search and rescue operations, extending up to 4 kilometers downstream, despite rainfall and rising water levels in the river. Efforts are also underway to retrieve two vehicles reportedly stuck in the sludge at the incident site.

The collapsed section, a 10-15 meter slab in the middle of the bridge, led to two trucks, two pickup vans, and a rickshaw falling into the river, while two other vehicles were left stranded on the bridge. Nine people have been rescued so far, with five receiving treatment at SSG Hospital, none of whom are in critical condition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has supplemented this with an additional ₹4 lakh for the deceased's families and ₹50,000 for the injured, bringing the total state compensation to ₹4.5 lakh per deceased. Local administration officials, including the Collector and SP Rohan Anand, have been continuously overseeing the relief and rescue efforts since the incident.