Dramatic moment Indian railway bridge collapses

This is the shocking moment an Indian railway bridge collapsed while under construction, killing 17 and leaving several more in hospital.

More are feared trapped under the debris of the disaster, in Mizoram, north-eastern India, with rescue operations under way to find survivors.

A video shows the wreckage of the structure after it fell apart, and has been shared widely on social media, prompting questions about safety standards and responsibility.

“Rescue operations are underway and all possible assistance is being given to those affected”, wrote Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on X (formerly Twitter).

Modi added he was “pained” by the accident and offered his “condolences to those who have lost their loved ones”.

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He also said that 200,000 rupees (roughly £1,900, according to XE.com) would be given to the next of kin of the deceased and 50,000 (roughly £470) to the injured.

The Chief Minister of Mizoram echoed Modi’s tweet: “Deeply saddened and affected by this tragedy. I extend my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.”

Workers had been building the bridge for just under two years before it went down. 40 employees were on site at the time of the accident.

Railway authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse, which is currently unknown.

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India has a poor recent history of transport infrastructure disasters.

Only two months ago, a four lane bridge, also under construction, collapsed into the River Ganges in eastern India.

Luckily there was no one on the structure at the time, but the Indian government faced accusations of cutting corners and pocketing the savings.

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And in October last year, a century-old cable suspension bridge also collapsed into a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat, leaving 132 dead as they plunged into the water.

It was one of the worst accidents in the country in the past decade.

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