A CCTV footage of moments captured before Gujarat's Morbi bridge collapsed on Sunday evening is now viral on social media. The incident in which 134 people died with search operation still underway for survivors, has drawn sharp criticism of the government for letting people use the bridge even thought it was yet to get the municipality's "fitness certificate".
The viral clip shows people holding onto the metal railings as the bridge began to sway seconds before it collapsed throwing people into the .
The Morbi bridge is more than a century-old and had reopened five days ago after extensive repairs and renovation.
Eyewitnesses said there were several women and children on the British-era hanging bridge when it snapped. Apart from locals, people from nearby cities and villages had also come to the bridge on a holiday when it collapsed. Due to the Diwali vacation there was a rush of tourists on the Morbi bridge, a major tourist attraction, on Sunday.
Read more: About Morbi bridge, that collapsed in Gujarat killing over 100 people
According to PTI, an eye witness said that some people were seen jumping on the bridge and pulling its wires. He added that the bridge may have collapsed due to the weight of the crowd on it.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in Gujarat, spoke to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other officials, the PM's Office said in a tweet. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to each of the injured, the PMO stated.
Read more: In photos: Rescuers look for survivors after Morbi bridge collapse
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