Almost 20 dead due to bridge collapse in India
The bridge, that was under construction, collapsed on an Indian highway on Tuesday. The structure corresponded to a high crossing and its collapse left at least 16 dead and 12 people injured. The terrible accident occurred in the city of Varnasi in the afternoon and crushed 4 cars, a motorcycle and a bus.
The block measured at least 15 meters (50 feet) long and two meters (six feet) wide. The accident occurred in the indian city of Varnasi. The concrete structure collapse and crushed several vehicles including a bus. At the time of the accident, the concrete slab was being installed on the overpass, and, according to local police reports, most of the fatalities were people riding in those vehicles.
Eyewitnesses narrated that they listened a thunderous noise and then observed the crushed cars. They reported that at the beginning they realized what exactly was happening. The rescue forces initially believed that there were probably more trapped victims since it was a peak transit time in that area of the Indian city. According to a statement form the National Disaster Response Force, lifeguards had rescued three people alive from the rubble during the night. A survivor told the national press that the rescue operation lastetçd 3 hours and ended around 9:00 om local time (15:30 GMT).
It is worth noting that in India constructions accidents are very common, due to the use of deficient materials and the hiring of workers completely disabled for this work. On the other hand, collapses and building fires are frequent in the Asian country, often related with the precarious state of infrastructure and lack of maintenance, factors fueled by corruption and illegal practices in the construction sector.
So far, the authorities continue investigating the incident, of wich the origin is unknown. Recently it was announced that the government will pay 500,000 rupees (7,200 dollars) to each affected family.
One fact that stands out is the collapse in 2016 of an overpass of two kilometers in Calcutta, in eastern India, whose landslide cause twenty-six deaths and dozens of injuries.
Naturally, the Prime Minister of india, Narenda Modi, has expressed his condolences after the tragedy to all the families who lost their beloved ones.
