Kolkata flyover collapse: Rescue operation continues, death toll 23
"The death toll is currently 23," a police official told IBNS.
Rescue teams, including personnel from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Disaster Rapid Force (NDRF), have been operating since Thursday to remove the huge mounds of debris and find bodies trapped under them.
"Rescue operation is going on. A large portion of the rubble has been cleared from the spot," Major General Anurag Gupta from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) told IBNS.
He said 10 teams of NDRF are working at the spot to conduct the rescue operation.
The mishap occurred at around 12.30 pm. on Thursday, as a large chunk of the under constructed flyover suddenly collapsed.
A close circuit camera footage showed people, cars, buses, auto rickshaws and hawkers being crushed when the flyover came crashing down.
Locals rushed to help and rescue people who were trapped under the debris.
Hosting a press conference, two officials from the company said that they were unaware of why such an accident took place but would love to know as it will help them.
When asked about the 'Act of God' comment, they said that it was just an expression and nothing more.
"It was an expression to state that the mishap was out of everyone's control, no one had a role to play there," an official said.
"We are in a state of shock just as the whole nation," the official said.
They said that they are unaware of any investigation going on.
"We are not aware of any such thing."
TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said on Friday that he had already informed the state government about the fault in the Vivekananda Setu, the under-construction flyover, which collapsed on Thursday afternoon, killing at least 23 people while injuring several others.
Speaking to media persons, Bandyopadhyay said that though they considered the re-modelling of the structure, it wasn't feasible as more than 50 percent work had been accomplished.
Bandyopadhyay also defended the government's decision to go on with the project by saying that there was no way back from it as a lot of capital had already been invested.
"It is very difficult to remodel a structure once fifty percent of the work has already been done, a lot of money was invested there, to pull it out wouldn't have been possible," he said.
The injured people are undergoing treatment in several hospitals in the city.
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