Gujarat bridge collapse: Death toll rises to 15, four remain missing as rescue operations go on

A section of the Gambhira bridge connecting Gujarat's Vadodara and Anand collapsed on Wednesday and fell into the Mahisagar river below.

The death toll in the Gujarat bridge collapse incident has risen to 15 with the recovery of three more bodies on Thursday.

Rescuers and locals look for survivors after several vehicles fell into a river following the collapse of a portion of a bridge in Mujpur near Vadodara in Gujarat.(AP)

According to a report by the news agency ANI, four people still remain missing as the rescue operations continue at the site in Vadodara.

"The death toll stands at 15 now with the recovery of 3 more bodies today. Four people remain missing. National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force are conducting search and rescue operations even till 4 km downstream. Two vehicles are stuck in the sludge at the incident site. We are seeking details from the public on those vehicles. There is rainfall, and the water level has risen in the river," ANI quoted Vadodara Collector Anil Dhameliya as saying.

A section of the Gambhira bridge connecting Vadodara and Anand collapsed on Wednesday and fell into the Mahisagar river below.

Since the collapse, the collector and other local administration officials have been visiting and taking stock of the relief and rescue operations at the site.

The Gujarat bridge collapse rescue operation

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) is leading the rescue and relief operations in the Gujarat bridge collapse incident on Thursday.

Vadodara superintendent of police (SP) Rohan Anand said on Wednesday that a 10-15 metre slab in the middle of the bridge had collapsed. Two trucks, two pickup vans, and a rickshaw fell into the river while two vehicles remained stranded on the bridge.

According to the official, nine people have been rescued, five of them have been referred to the SSG Hospital. 

"None of the people who have been rescued are critical," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a compensation of ₹2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased in the bridge collapse. The injured would get ₹50,000.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced another compensation of ₹4 lakh for the families of those who died and matched the ₹50,000 given by the Centre for the injured.