June 15 (UPI) -- An iron bridge in western India collapsed around 3:30 p.m. local time Sunday, leaving at least two people dead and 32 people injured, authorities said.
The bridge that collapsed spans the Indrayani River in the Pune district of the state of Maharashtra, the state's chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said in a statement.
"Two people have died in this incident. I offer my heartfelt condolences to them. We share the grief of their families," he said.
Those who were injured were taken to a hospital for treatment, six of whom remain in critical condition.
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Fadnavis added that others were also missing after being swept away by the river and said that there is a "war-like" search for them. It was not immediately clear how many people might be missing.
"Six people have been rescued so far," he said. "All the agencies have been ordered to be put on alert mode."
In a separate statement from his office on X, Fadnavis said the families of the victims who lost their lives would be given financial assistance of about $5,800 and that the government would pay for the medical care of those who were injured.
Fadnavis said he had been in contact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the incident.
The government's response received some criticism from the public, like one who responded to the X post, questioning why families were only being provided about $5,800 when families of victims of a recent Air India crash were being provided over $116,000.
"Does the value of a human life depend on whether the tragedy occurred in the air or on a bridge?" that critic wrote.
The bridge collapse had come after heavy rains in recent days had raised water levels.
