According to Italian police, Bridge Morandi on the A10 highway near Genoa suddenly collapsed at around 11:50 local time (09:50 GMT). A 100-meter-long section of the road vanished, burying people and cars under the heavy rubble. The highway, which linked the city of Genoa with the airport and the A7 highway to Milan, was blocked due to the accident.
The authorities immediately dispatched emergency service personnel in order to rescue people from under the wreckage.
READ MORE: Italian Police Publish Shocking Footage of Bridge Collapse, Aftermath in Genoa
According to the latest police data, up to 30 people have died, while at least seven have been seriously injured. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, while addressing the issue, reported that up to 200 firefighters and other emergency service workers are now conducting rescue operations at the site. At least two people have been found alive and extracted from the deadly trap, however, some reports say about 8 rescued by the firefighters.
Il 26 febbraio 2017 il #pontemorandi di #genova era ridotto così.
— Elisabetta (@therealbettowl) August 14, 2018
Avevamo tutti paura che crollasse.
Oggi è successo. pic.twitter.com/QyWXBCtOXV
Morandi Bridge was built in the 1960s; it is over a kilometer long and 90 meters high. At the moment there is no information about the possible cause of the accident.
The bridge collapse is the second major accident in the country this month, following a fuel truck explosion near the Bologna airport last week.
