NEW DELHI

At least nine people died and five others were injured after vehicles fell into a river following a portion of bridge collapsed in India’s western Gujarat state, authorities said.

A portion of a bridge in state’s Vadodara district on the Mahisagar river collapsed in the morning and a rescue operation was launched, Anil Dhameliya, a senior civil official, told reporters.

Dhameliya said vehicles fell into the river and nine bodies have been recovered. Five people were injured in the incident, he added.

The official said rescue operations are underway and efforts are on to minimize the human loss. “We are trying to complete the operation sooner,” he said.