Bridge Collapses In Northern India, At Least Six Feared Dead

At least six people are feared dead after a bridge collapsed in India’s northern Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, sending several vehicles and dozens of people plunging into a swollen river amid heavy monsoon rains, authorities said on Friday.

The collapse occurred near the town of Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand state, a mountainous region popular with Hindu pilgrims and tourists. According to local officials, a section of the steel suspension bridge gave way while pedestrians and vehicles were crossing, triggering panic as people fell into the fast-flowing Alaknanda River below.

Rescue teams from India’s National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, army personnel, and local volunteers rushed to the scene shortly after the incident. Officials said at least 28 people had been rescued by Friday evening, while search operations continued for several missing persons believed trapped under debris or swept away by strong currents.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami confirmed that six deaths were feared based on eyewitness accounts and preliminary rescue assessments, though authorities said the official death toll could change as operations continued. Several survivors were taken to nearby hospitals with fractures, head injuries, and symptoms of hypothermia after being pulled from the cold river waters.

Eyewitnesses said the bridge appeared overcrowded at the time of the collapse because of increased movement linked to the Char Dham pilgrimage season, one of India’s largest annual religious journeys. Pilgrims and tourists were reportedly using the crossing to access nearby shrines and mountain routes.

Video footage circulating on Indian television and social media showed twisted metal structures hanging over the river while rescue workers used ropes, inflatable boats, and cranes to search for survivors. Heavy rainfall and dangerous river currents complicated rescue efforts throughout the day.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse. Preliminary reports suggested that recent heavy rains may have weakened the bridge’s support structures, though officials are also examining possible maintenance failures and overloading.

India has experienced repeated infrastructure disasters in recent years, often linked to poor maintenance, overcrowding, aging structures, and extreme weather conditions. In 2022, more than 130 people died when a suspension bridge collapsed in Gujarat state, one of the deadliest bridge disasters in Indian history.

The latest incident comes as northern India enters the annual monsoon period, which frequently triggers landslides, flash floods, and infrastructure failures in Himalayan states such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Weather officials warned that additional rainfall is expected in the region over the coming days, raising concerns about further disruptions and hazards.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the affected families and said the central government would provide all necessary assistance for rescue and relief operations. Senior federal disaster management officials have been dispatched to Uttarakhand to coordinate emergency response efforts with state authorities.