As recovery efforts continue, the death toll from the India bridge collapse has risen to at least 130.

The death toll from the collapse of a pedestrian bridge over a river in Gujarat, western India, has risen to at least 130 as more accounts of the terrifying moment the structure collapsed emerge.

According to local officials, about 400 people were on the Machchu River suspension bridge in Morbi on Sunday, and the mood was festive. Families had gathered on the bridge to participate in a post-Diwali religious ritual that involved immersing idols in the river.

The bridge is over a century old and dates back to the British Raj, but it only reopened on October 26 after extensive repairs were completed over six months by a private company.

“There were many young children among the dead,” one rescuer told NDTV. “Because it was a Sunday evening, families had come out for a walk because it’s a popular tourist destination.”

Many children died, according to the staff at the nearby hospitals where the victims were taken, with some couples losing more than one child.

Prateek Vasava, who swam to the riverbank after falling from the bridge, told a local news channel that several children had fallen into the river.

“I wanted to drag some of them with me, but they had drowned or been swept away,” he explained.

“The cables snapped, and the bridge came down in a split second,” said another survivor. People tripped over each other and fell into the river.”

The fortunate ones could swim to safety or be rescued by a 200-person team comprised of personnel from the navy, army, and air force, as well as the National Disaster Response Force.