Dozens feared dead after highway bridge collapse in Italy
AT LEAST 26 people have been killed in a horror bridge collapse in the Italian city of Genoa.
The major highway bridge gave way during a ferocious thunderstorm around 11.30am Tuesday local time.
The collapse saw vehicles plunge 45 metres onto buildings below.
Hundreds of emergency crews remain on scene working to rescue people trapped in the rubble.
At least 15 people are understood to have been badly injured and have been rushed to hospital for treatment.
The country’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte described the disaster as an “immense tragedy.”
It’s not yet known what exactly caused the bridge to collapse, with engineers saying it’s too early to determine.
However some people say they saw lightning strike the bridge before it went down.
Motorway bridge collapses near Genoa, sending vehicles plummeting 90m to the ground and killing at least 22 people, Italian officials sayhttps://t.co/Gem90FeEUF pic.twitter.com/fJsiOhXONu
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) August 14, 2018
For years, many have been discussing the construction of a new stretch of highway around Genoa, alternative to the one that has collapsed so disastrously today (not far from home). The populist party 5s – which is currently in government – has always been against the project. pic.twitter.com/z1g3iKG1SU
— Daniele Raineri (@DanieleRaineri) August 14, 2018
OMG. An aeral view of the tragedy in #Genoa, where a major motorway bridge has collapsed. This is appalling. #Italy
via @belcastrotw pic.twitter.com/jodF6eIUP8— Antonello Guerrera (@antoguerrera) August 14, 2018
Violento nubifragio #Genova #crollo parte del viadotto Polcevera-Morandi Km 0,200 su autostrada A10
Uscita obbligatoria Genova aeroporto direzione Ventimiglia
Uscita obbligatoria bivio A10 con A7 direzione Genova @StradeAnas @DPCgov @emergenzavvf @Viminale @ComunediGenova pic.twitter.com/7YJINjFWRX— Polizia di Stato (@poliziadistato) August 14, 2018