At least 30 dead in Italy bridge collapse

At least 30 people were killed after a highway bridge collapsed in Genoa, Italy following a violent storm.

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini was quoted as saying that 'around 30' have been killed and many injured in a serious condition'.

In the deadliest bridge failure in Italy for years, a large stretch of the A10 freeway tumbled on to railway lines in the northern port city.

The country's deputy transport minister warned that the toll could climb further.

Genoa is located between the sea and the mountains of northwestern Italy. Its rugged terrain means that motorways that run through the city and the surrounding area are characterised by long viaducts and tunnels.

The cause of the incident is still unclear; however, the authorities suspect the structural weakness as the reason behind the collapse.

Authorities also speculated that the cause of the collapse might be the unusually high traffic on the bridge.

The Morandi viaduct, completed in 1967, overspans dozens of railway lines as well as an industrial zone housing several factories.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Twitter that France was 'by Italy's side in this tragedy and is ready to offer all necessary support'.

Tuesday's incident is the latest in a string of bridge collapses in Italy, a country prone to damage from seismic activity but where infrastructure generally is showing the effects of economic stagnation.

Photographs: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters