Georgian embassy activates hot line after motorway bridge collapse in Italy

The Georgian Embassy to Italy has activated its hot line after a motorway bridge collapsed in the Italian city of Genoa, throwing vehicles down from a height of about 90 meters. 

Official sources have confirmed 22 deaths for now, while at least 13 are injured.
The death toll, as well as the number of the injured, may increase.

No Georgian citizens have been counted among the dead or injured so far, the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated.

“A 24-hour hotline has been activated at the Georgian Embassy to Italy: +39 333 8879123. Those who need any information over the fatal incident are able to phone any time,” the ministry stated.

The bridge fell around 11:30 local time (09:30 GMT) during heavy rain. Police reported a violent cloudburst, BBC reports. 

"It was just after 11:30 when we saw lightning strike the bridge," eyewitness Pietro M all'Asa was quoted as saying by Italy's Ansa news agency. "And we saw the bridge going down."

The Morandi Bridge, built in the 1960s, stands on the A10 toll motorway, serving the Italian Riviera and southern coast of France.