At Least 17 People Reportedly Died In A Train Bridge Collapse Incident In India

The collapse of the railroad bridge that is being built in northeastern India (Photo: Screenshot of Youtube @NDTV)

JAKARTA - At least 17 people were reported killed in the incident of the collapse of a railroad bridge under construction in northeastern India. The incident occurred near Sairang, about 20 km (12 miles) from the capital city of Mizoram state, Aizawl, his main minister said. There were 40 workers at the location when the bridge collapsed. It is strongly suspected that there are still many people missing in this tragic incident. Reporting from the BBC, Wednesday, August 23, the cause of the collapse of the bridge is not yet clear. Chief minister Mizoram Zoramthanga, who goes by one name, said emergency workers had found 17 bodies so far with many local residents assisting with rescue efforts. "All possible assistance is given to those affected," Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office said in a statement. The government will pay around 200,000 rupees (IDR 37 million more) to the closest family of those killed. State-run rail authorities have opened an investigation into the incident.

Accidents at construction sites like this are not uncommon in India. In October last year, more than 140 people died in Gujarat when a pedestrian cable bridge collapsed in the western Indian state of Gujarat.