Horrific moment mother and child are swept to their deaths as they fail to make it across collapsing bridge in Indian floods

  • Family was fleeing floodwater in Araria district of Indian state of Bihar
  • Villagers ran across bridge providing only route across overflowing river Kosi
  • But bridge gave way and mother and daughter plunged into raging torrent
  • Father 'pulled to safety' by villagers but they could not save his family
  • More than 16million people have been affected by recent floods in South Asia

By Alice Evans For Mailonline

Published: 07:45 EST, 18 August 2017 | Updated: 13:53 EST, 18 August 2017

This is the horrific moment a mother and child drowned when a bridge collapsed in floods which have claimed the lives of more than 150 people in India.

Desperate families were fleeing to the safety of neighbouring villages after their homes were taken over by floodwater in the Araria district of the Indian state of Bihar.

A single bridge provided the only route across the overflowing river Kosi, and locals were forced to run across, despite the river undercutting its foundations.

Chilling footage captured the tragic moment the bridge gave way just as a husband, wife and their child tried to make the crossing - and the woman and child plummeted into the waters below.

Tragic: The desperate family (pictured right) had been forced to run across a collapsing bridge to cross the overflowing river Kosi in the Araria district of the Indian state of Bihar

Tragic: The desperate family (pictured right) had been forced to run across a collapsing bridge to cross the overflowing river Kosi in the Araria district of the Indian state of Bihar

Deadly: Heavy monsoon rains in Nepal, Bangladesh and India have killed more than 343 people, officials and aid workers said

Deadly: Heavy monsoon rains in Nepal, Bangladesh and India have killed more than 343 people, officials and aid workers said

It is reported that the mother and child were swept to their deaths after yesterday's fall, while the man appeared to be pulled to safety by fellow villagers.

An onlooker said: 'People were fleeing to safer places as rain water drowned their houses. They are at a loss as to what to take and what to leave behind.

'The bridge connects two villages. Several people were furtively crossing the bridge over the angry river but it did not stay resilient for long and gave way just when the woman was attempting to cross it.

'Bystanders helplessly watch as (they) got washed away with the flood waters.'

Desperate: This bridge provided the only route across the overflowing river Kosi, and locals were forced to run across, despite the river undercutting its foundations.
Chilling footage captured the moment the bridge gave way as a husband, wife and child tried to run to safety

Desperate: This bridge provided the only route across the overflowing river Kosi, and locals were forced to run across, despite the river undercutting its foundations. Chilling footage captured the moment the bridge gave way as a husband, wife and child tried to run to safety

An onlooker said: 'People were fleeing to safer places as rain water drowned their houses'
They added: 'Bystanders helplessly watch as three of them got washed away with the flood waters'

An onlooker said: 'People were fleeing to safer places as rain water drowned their houses. Bystanders helplessly watch as three of them got washed away with the flood waters'

Horrific: The mother and daughter drowned when they were pulled into the raging torrent

Horrific: The mother and daughter drowned when they were pulled into the raging torrent

HAMPERED AID EFFORT

Relief operations have been hampered, even as food packets are being dropped from helicopters in the worst affected areas.

In a makeshift relief camp in Kaliabor, 160km east of Guwahati city, families said they had not received any aid.

'We are practically starving, with no government supplies reaching us,' said Arunima Dutta, mother of three, who is sheltering from the disaster with hundreds of others.

Flood affected villagers wait for relief material on a broken road washed away by floodwaters in the Morigaon district, east of Gauhati in the state of Assam on Tuesday

Flood affected villagers wait for relief material on a broken road washed away by floodwaters in the Morigaon district, east of Gauhati in the state of Assam on Tuesday

Residents are also at risk of contracting diseases such as malaria and Japanese encephalitis, the Red Cross warned.

The risk of a 'significant public health crisis' from waterborne diseases such as cholera is also high, charity WaterAid said. 

India's meteorological department is forecasting more heavy rain for the region in the coming days.

Heavy monsoon rains in Nepal, Bangladesh and India have killed more than 343 people, officials and aid workers said.

More than 16million people have been affected by the floods in South Asia, with heavy rains and damaged roads hampering relief efforts amid severe food shortages and a growing risk of waterborne diseases. 

Martin Faller, deputy regional director for Asia Pacific at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said: 'This is fast becoming one of the most serious humanitarian crises this region has seen in many years.

'Millions of people face severe food shortages and disease. We fear (it) will get worse in the days and weeks ahead.'

Heavy monsoon rains have unleashed landslides and floods that killed hundreds of people in recent days and displaced millions more across northern India, southern Nepal and Bangladesh. Pictured here is the scene of devastation in Gauhati

Heavy monsoon rains have unleashed landslides and floods that killed hundreds of people in recent days and displaced millions more across northern India, southern Nepal and Bangladesh. Pictured here is the scene of devastation in Gauhati

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