Bridge Collapse on Mumbai-Goa Highway - Know 10 Facts of this British Era Bridge

Hours after a British-era bridge collapsed on the Mumbai-Goa highway following incessant rain, two aircraft, a chetak chopper and 80 rescuers and divers searched for vehicles believed to have fallen into the flooded river with dozens of people.

Nine bodies have been found. Two state-run buses with 13 people are missing after the bridge crashed late last night around 11.30 pm.  Four private cars are also believed to have fallen.

A crowd of local people holding umbrellas watched as a chopper sent by the Coast Guard hovered over the raging river, a rescuer dangling from it.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has deployed a Chetak helicopter and a Sea King 42C all-weather aircraft with a diving team for a search operation. The ICG is also diverting another Sea King 42B helicopter to help with the mission, a defence spokesperson said.

National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) personnel have also been deployed for the search operation. Two 40-member NDRF contingents have been rushed to Mahad. Traffic on the Mumbai-Goa highway was disrupted and smaller vehicles were diverted via Mangaon and two other routes.

Here are 10 developments in the story of the Bridge:

1. The 50-foot bridge, built about a century ago in Mahad town, crashed around 11.30 pm after flood waters rushed into the river Savitri. The bridge lies along the highway connecting Mumbai to the popular holiday destination Goa.
2. Two passenger buses and four private cars are believed to have been washed away in the dead of the night. The buses had started from Mumbai with 11 passengers each.
3. Around 80 rescuers and divers are at the spot. Rescuers could be seen fighting strong currents in inflatable dinghies.
4. Even elite marine commandos or MARCOS found the current too strong to risk diving into the river.
5. The air force, navy and coast guard have sent two aircraft and a Chetak helicopter to survey the river.
6. A lawmaker said in parliament that two years ago, British officials had warned Maharashtra that the bridge is too old and should be closed to public. The bridge had trees growing on it.
7. The Maharashtra government, however, declared the bridge safe just two months ago.
8. "There were two parallel bridges. One is a new bridge and one constructed during the British era. The old one collapsed," tweeted Mr Fadnavis.
9. Traffic has been diverted to the new parallel bridge. Officials are trying to determine whether more vehicles are missing.
10. For five days, there has been incessant rain in parts of coastal Konkan, northern and western Maharashtra.

Source: ndtv.com