Mexican footbridge collapses during inaugural walk by mayor
Mexico City, Jun 9: The mayor of the Mexican city of Cuernavaca was proudly inaugurating a footbridge over a scenic stream Tuesday when the span collapsed, sending him and about two dozen other people plunging into a gully.
The hanging bridge made of wooden boards and metal chains had recently been remodelled.
Video of the collapse suggested the boards separated from the chains supporting them.
Local officials, including city council members, fell about 10 feet onto rocks and boulders in the streambed.
Mayor Jos Luis Uri stegui later said that some of the people accompanying him on the inaugural walk had been jumping on the bridge, perhaps in an attempt to make it sway.
There were a lot of people jumping. That was reckless, Uri stegui said.
The crush of officials and journalists on the bridge also may have exceeded its planned capacity, the mayor said.
There were more of us than there should have been there, he said.
The Cuernavaca city government said in a statement that four city council members, two other city officials and a local reporter were injured and had to be extracted on stretchers from the gully and were taken to local hospitals.
Uri stegui said none of the injuries were critical, and the worst involved a broken bone or a blow to the head.
Uri stegui himself was taken to a hospital with light injuries, but later spoke to reporters outside.
The Morelos state government said the hanging footbridge was not included in a 340,000 riverwalk construction program that started in 2021 and may have existed prior to that.
Cuernavaca, located just south of Mexico City, has long been a weekend getaway for capital residents due to its abundance of water and balmy climate.
The footbridge was part of a river walk along one of the city's many streams.
Cuernavaca has undergone explosive growth and has largely ignored or polluted many of its waterways. The river walk was intended to be part of a revival of the city's natural attractions.
Footbridge collapse during reopening ceremony in Mexico pic.twitter.com/Kn4X554Ydk
— Adrian Slabbert (@adrian_slabbert) June 9, 2022
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Belthangady: Khazi Shaikhuna Thwaka Ahmed Musliyar of Dakshina Kannada District handed over the keys of a renovated house to the family of the late Ramalan Azhari during a program organized by the Dakshina Kannada District Janiyyatul Muallimin on Thursday at Kajur Perdadi Ajmer Khaja Juma Masjid.
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District Janiyyatul Muallimin Vice President Ashraf Faizhi Belthangady, SKSBV District Convenor Ashraf Hanifi Karaya, Muhammadali Darimi Kukkaje, SKSSF East District Secretary Harris Kausar, District Muallimin Councilor Abdul Razak Madani Suratkal Range, Rafiq Darimi Moodabidri Range, Phaluluddin Musliar Mangaluru Range, Nisar Musliar Bantwala Range, KM Siddique Faizadi, Karajdi Range Secretary Abdul Aziz Ashshafi, Hamid Faizi Gurupura, and Belthangady Range teachers, members of the board of directors of Kajur Perdadi Ajmer Khaja Juma Masjid, and village leaders participated in the event.
