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The death toll from a cable bridge collapse has risen to 140, authorities in India said on Monday (October 31). The 761-foot-long pedestrian bridge had just reopened after undergoing six months of renovations and was packed with large crowds of people on Sunday evening when it collapsed into the Machchu River.
Authorities said that rescue operations remain ongoing as they desperately look for any survivors who may be trapped in the wreckage of the bridge.
Officials announced that nine people had been arrested in connection with the deadly collapse. Those taken into custody included two people who were awarded a contract to repair the bridge, which was built in 1877. More arrests are expected as the investigation into the collapse continues.
Investigators are still trying to determine why the bridge collapsed and have not said how many people were walking across it at the time.
One man who was injured in the collapse told Reuters that he saw a group of young men shaking the bridge before the cables snapped.
"There were about 15-20 boys aged between 20-25 years who were shaking the bridge," Ashwin Mehra told Reuter's TV partner ANI. "We heard some sounds three times, and the sixth time the cable (of the bridge) suddenly snapped."
Mehra, who sustained injuries to his leg and back, said he managed to make it to shore by hanging onto the bridge's railings and netting.