(Image Source: The Nation)
BY MEGAN NOE
ANCHOR CHRISTINA HARTMAN
Details remain murky after a wooden footbridge holding 150 people collapsed in India Saturday evening. NDTV has the latest.
“These are the latest pictures that we have from this morning. The bridge collapse right there, a little stream out there. A reporter has been saying it’s just fortunate that there was a bit of a stream and it wasn’t deep, which is why it’s just about 31 deaths we have so far.”
Most reports are now saying at least 34 people died and as many as 60 to 130 people were injured. But the BBC sees that “stream” a little differently.
“Officials say the victims fell at least 70 ft into the fast-flowing Rangeet Khola river.”
The crowd was gathered for a political rally and musical entertainment, and eyewitnesses said police had been allowing only a few people to cross the bridge at a time. But when songs ended, the Hindustan Times reports the crowd became uncontrollable.
CNN-IBN points out, the footbridge might have been in trouble before the rally.
“Authorities say the bridge gave way due to overcrowding. The structure had already been weakened after an earthquake struck on the 18th of September.”
A Hindustan Times headline calls the collapse -- quote -- “utter carelessness.” And says conflicting reports have left victims’ families with many unanswered questions.
“Why did they organise such a programme in the wilderness? They could have easily done it inside Bijanbari town. Everyone knew that crowds would swell and the frail bridge would not support such a crowd. When the bridge was in such condition why hadn’t the administration done proper maintenance or declared the bridge unsafe? Why had they allowed so many people to cross over all at once?”
The Indian government has announced it will pay compensation and treatment costs to victims and their families.
