During a storm, a span of the Genoa bridge was damaged.
A section of A10 at Genoa, one of Italy’s largest towns in the north region, collapsed during a morning thunderstorm at 11:30 a.m. local. It was part of Morandi Bridge which is a major artery that motorists use to travel to the Italian Riviera or further west to the French southern coast. It is believed that 22 people died and many others were injured in the collapse, which occurred near the Polcevera River. This is a serious situation.
The Morandi Bridge was opened in 1967. It is named after Riccardo Morandi, its designer. The bridge spans 1,200m (.75 mile) in length, and is 45 meters (148 feet) high. The roadway crosses an abandoned train yard via three large concrete pillars. The Guardian reports that witnesses saw vehicles collapsing with the bridge’s collapsed section. A few people have been pulled alive from the wreckage so far.
The exact cause of the collapse is unknown. According to some reports, a powerful and sudden storm was in the area at time of the collapse. Toninelli, the Italian Transport Minister, released a statement calling it an “immense tragedy.” Luca Cari of Genoa’s emergency communications department said that around 200 firefighters and rescue crews are working on the scene to determine how many cars were under the bridge. He called the situation “critical.”
This tragedy follows shortly after a truck that was carrying propane exploded on a highway in Bologna. It also caused a section to collapse. A truck carrying propane collided with a vehicle that was stopped in heavy traffic at an overpass. One person was killed and more than 100 were injured. These two incidents have caused people to wonder if the roads in Italy need serious reform.