Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Wednesday declared a 12-month state of emergency after a section of a motorway bridge collapsed in Genoa that claimed 39 lives. He also allocated five million euros for the smooth facilitation of search and rescue operations.
The administration would withdraw the concession from Autostrade, the private company responsible for the maintenance of the Morandi Bridge that collapsed on Tuesday, Aug 14. Although rescue operations were on till Wednesday evening, the hopes of finding more survivors in the mishap are now appearing to be dim. 13 people were injured in the incident. Around 30 vehicles and many heavy-duty trucks were present when the Morandi Bridge collapsed.
The police had said that maintenance work was underway to consolidate parts of the bridge. The motorway bridge, which opened in 1968, is a major highway for residents and tourists in the city of Genoa. The route links the Italian coast with French coastal cities to the west, along the Mediterranean region.
