A railway bridge under construction in northeastern India collapsed on Wednesday 22 August. Currently, the death toll is eighteen, Rex Zarzoliana Vanchhawng, a senior local police officer, reported to Agence France-Presse (AFP). The accident occurred in Sairang, in the state of Mizoram, a region located between Bangladesh and Burma.

Northeast Frontier Railway spokesman Sabyasachi De told AFP this“around 30 to 40 workers” was at the scene when the bridge collapsed. The estimates were confirmed by Mizoram Home Minister Lalchamliana in comments reported by Hindu.

Villagers near the construction site and rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force rushed to the scene to look for survivors. Regarding the cause of the collapse, the railway authority’s investigation is still ongoing.

Recurring security issues in transportation infrastructure

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the BRICS summit in South Africa, said he was saddened by the accident in Mizoram state. “Relief operations are ongoing and all possible assistance is being provided to those affected”he communicates in X. The government will pay around 2,200 euros to the families of those killed, according to the statement.

India’s transport infrastructure frequently suffers from safety problems, sometimes leading to fatal accidents on roads and bridges. In October 2022, a suspension bridge collapsed into a river in the western Indian state of Gujarat, killing 137 people in one of the worst accidents the country has seen in the past decade.