(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –At least 18 people have been killed and dozens trapped in the Indian city of Varanasi after a flyover collapsed, crushing vehicles beneath it.
The flyover was still being built when portions of its cement structure fell on the road being used under it.
Officials from the National Disaster Response Force said 18 bodies had been recovered so far.
A rescue operation is continuing for those believed to still be trapped, but their number and condition is unknown.
Photographs and video from the scene showed cars and a bus crushed beneath the weight of the concrete, many of which still held people inside.
Local media reported that a handful of people had been successfully rescued, as seven cranes attempted to lift the concrete pillar. A large crowd also gathered at the scene.
One eyewitness told reporters they were nearby when the collapse happened. “At least four cars, an auto-rickshaw and a minibus were crushed under it,” they said.
