Survivors of a bridge collapse in India’s Gujarat state on Wednesday that killed at least 15 people have said that they initially thought it was an explosion or earthquake.
The cause of the collapse is still to be ascertained, and investigations are under way according to state government officials.
Anwarbhai, who was driving a van which had two other passengers, was on the bridge on Wednesday morning when he heard a deafening crack – a section of the bridge behind him had collapsed into the Mahisagar river, taking some vehicles along with it.
“There was a huge explosion-like sound and part of the bridge collapsed behind us. Our van also started rolling backwards so we quickly jumped out,” he told BBC Gujarati.
The 40-year-old bridge connected Vadodara district with central Gujarat and usually saw a lot of traffic.
Dramatic visuals after the collapse showed a truck teetering dangerously from the edge of the broken bridge – it was later moved to safety. But other vehicles, including lorries, cars and a tuktuk, plunged into the water.
At least four people are still missing and search operations are under way.
“Our priority is to check the area quickly and retrieve both bodies and any survivors,” Surender Singh, an official with the National Disaster Response Force, told news agency ANI.
A truck teetering off the edge of the broken bridge on Wednesday [ANI]
Sonalben Padhiyar was the only survivor among her family members after the car she was travelling in fell into the river.
Recounting the terrifying moments, Ms Padhiyar told the Indian Express newspaper that she was sitting in the back when the car fell into the river headfirst.
A video of her, visibly distressed and shouting for someone to save her son, has since gone viral. She later told ANI that she screamed for a long time before help arrived. She lost six family members.
Dilipsinh Padhiyar, another survivor (not related to Ms Padhiyar), was returning home from a night shift on his two-wheeler when the accident took place.
“Traffic was moving as usual,” he told the Indian Express.
He said he had barely crossed 100m on the bridge when he felt a vibration before the structure gave way.
“I found myself falling into the river,” he said.
Mr Padhiyar suffered injuries but managed to hold on to a metal rod and stay afloat until local fishermen arrived to help.
Eyewitnesses said the collapse felt like an earthquake, shaking the ground and sending multiple vehicles crashing into the river.
Jairaj Singh, one of the locals who rushed to the scene, told BBC Gujarati he was alerted by a phone call from a friend.
“As soon as I heard, I rushed over,” he said. “We began pulling out vehicles with ropes. People from the area came together to help.”
Locals also rushed to help rescue people from the river [Reuters]
The collapse has set off a political row, with locals saying they had often complained about its poor condition.
Ravibhai, who lives in the area, told BBC Gujarati that the bridge would often shake when heavy vehicles drove on it.
Abhesinh Parmar, a local council chief from a village near the bridge, said it was in a “dilapidated” condition and “had potholes everywhere”.
“Rods could be seen sticking out of the structure. We complained many times, but no action was taken,” he alleged.
Rushikesh Patel, a spokesperson for the Gujarat government, denied this, saying that the bridge was inspected and repaired at regular intervals.
“Recently, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had approved dismantling the existing bridge and constructing a new one. We were set to issue a tender soon,” he said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is from Gujarat, has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and announced compensation.
Wednesday’s collapse is among a series of deadly accidents linked to ageing and poorly maintained public infrastructure in India.
In 2022, around 135 people were killed when a 137-year-old suspension bridge in Gujarat’s Morbi town collapsed into a river. The bridge, a popular tourist attraction, had reopened for visitors just days earlier following repairs.
Follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.