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14th Aug 2018

Viaduct on motorway bridge collapses in Genoa killing “dozens”

Kate Demolder

It is believed there were a number of cars on the bridge at the time of the collapse

A section of a viaduct on a motorway bridge has collapsed in the port city of Genoa in northwest Italy.

The Morandi Bridge, located on the A10 motorway just outside the city, collapsed at around 10am GMT on Tuesday from a height of 200m (650ft) during a violent storm.

At the time of writing, the Italian Ambulance Service has announced that “dozens” of people have died, according to Italian news agency Adnkronos.

As details emerged, the country’s transport minister has called the unfortunate incident “an immense tragedy”.

“I am following with great concern what happened to Genoa and is looming as a terrible tragedy,” his tweet read.

As reported by The Associated Press, it’s understood that one person has been rescued alive from the rubble of the bridge’s collapse. They were then flown by helicopter to a hospital.

The bridge is part of the A10 toll road which runs into Genoa, near the city’s airport.

Genoa is located between the sea and the mountains of north-west Italy. Known for its rugged terrain, a number of motorways run through the city and the surrounding area via long viaducts and tunnels.

Restructuring work on the bridge, which was constructed in the 1960s, was carried out in 2016.