Death toll from cable bridge collapse in India exceeds 140 - local TV

Over 140 people were killed in a cable bridge collapse in India’s western state of Gujarat, India-based NDTV news channel reported.

"At least 141 people have died after a British-era bridge in Gujarat's Morbi collapsed last evening," the television channel reported. "Some 177 people have been saved and teams are searching for several others who are still missing."

A senior police officer representing the district of Morbi in India was quoted as saying by the AFP earlier that the confirmed death toll in the tragedy at the bridge stood over 120.

The 150-year-old cable bridge across the Machchhu river in the Morbi area collapsed when some 500 people were crossing it. Hundreds of people fell into the river, according to previous local news reports The bridge had been under an overhaul for several years to be opened four days ago.

According to official data, 20 people were hospitalized sustaining serious injuries. An isolation ward was reported to be set up within a local hospital following the reported tragedy.