The gambhira-Mujpur bridge connecting the two districts of Anand and Vadodara suddenly collapsed on the morning of July 9 local time, in the town of Padra, Gujarat state of India.
The incident occurred during the morning rush hour, when 4 vehicles including 2 trucks, 1 multi-purpose sports vehicle (SUV) and 1 pickup truck were traveling across the bridge when they suddenly encountered an incident.
According to the witness, a loud noise resounded before the middle of the bridge collapsed, sweeping the vehicles into the river.
Immediately after the incident, rescue forces including police, firefighters and local authorities quickly deployed the search for the victims.
The three injured were taken to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment. Rescue work is continuing, with the support of salvage cranes and diving teams searching for missing people.
The authorities have blocked off the area to serve the investigation into the cause of the bridge collapse and ensure safety.
Local people said the bridge has been degraded for a long time and has been repeatedly warned about being unsafe but not repaired in time. This is an important artery connecting Central Gujarat with the Saurashtra region.
The state government said it would conduct a comprehensive inspection of similar bridges in the area to prevent the risk of accidents.
