In a tragic turn of events, an British-era bridge across the Savitri River on the busy Mumbai-Goa highway collapsed on Tuesday night at around 11.30 pm. As many as 22 people are missing after the bridge collapsed into the flooded. Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are rescuing the victims but the operation has been affected by heavy rains. Navy and Coast Guard Helicopters have also joined the rescue mission.
Till now, the rescue team has recovered bodies of two of the victims of the accident. No survivors or the lost vehicles have been found till now. Apart from two state-run buses, four cars are also believed to have fallen into the river. The traffic has been diverted to a new bridge nearby.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has Tweeted about the situation stating, “Spoke to Raigad SP and Collector about bridge collapse on Mumbai – Goa Highway. Administration has rushed to spot for rescue and immediate measures.”
Fadnavis also added, “The primary reason seems to be the high pressure caused due to flooding of river Savitri due to heavy rains in catchment of Mahabaleshwar. There is no confirmed assessment about casualties since the area is very dark. Administration will ensure speedy rescue & relief operations.”
