At least 17 workers have lost their lives after an under-construction railway bridge over the Kurung river connecting Bhairabi to Sairang in Mizoram collapsed on Wednesday. At least 30–40 workers are trapped under the debris, with casualties expected to rise further.
According to railway sources, the height of Ghat P-4 of bridge number 196 of this project is 104 metres, which is 42 metres higher than Qutub Minar located in New Delhi. The bridge collapsed in the Sairang area at around 11 a.m. today, killing at least 14 labourers. According to sources, 17 workers died on the spot, but this has not been confirmed officially.
The General Manager (Construction) of Northeast Frontier Railway has left for the spot by a special train. Apart from this, a team of 11 doctors from Silchar has also been immediately sent to the hospital site. More details are awaited. Various departments of the state government are engaged in relief and rescue work.
