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Chilling emergency calls have been released revealing the shocking moment witnesses reported that a motorway bridge had collapsed in Italy, leaving at least 39 people dead.
The horrific incident took place on Tuesday when the Morandi Bridge in Genoa crumbled to the ground during a storm.
Emergency services in Italy have released audio clips of panicked exchanges between witnesses and operators as they reported the scenes of horror at the site of the disaster.
Horrified witnesses can be heard telling the responders that the bridge has collapsed.
Satellite image of the collapsed section of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa (European Space Imaging/EPA)EPAThe clips reflect the initial shock and confusion caused by the freak incident.
Responders can be heard saying: “What do you mean it’s collapsed?”
Worried witnesses can be heard desperately begging call handlers to issue an alert to emergency services.
A general view of the collapsed Morandi bridge the day after the disaster in GenoaEPAOne man described how he saw the bridge come down from his window.
“I live here and I saw the bridge coming down. Everything trembled and the two central spans came down,” he said.
Satellite images also revealed the extent of devastating aftermath of the disaster which the Italian Prime Minister described as an “immense tragedy.”
Devastation: the bridge collapse as seen from space (European Space Imaging/EPA)EPAPictures from European Space Imaging put the scene in chilling context when seen from miles above the earth's surface.
The bridge, which is operated as a toll-road, crumbled under the weight of heavy rain during a storm on Tuesday morning, covering an industrial zone and railway yard below.
Italy has declared a 12-month state of emergency in Genoa amid a fierce backlash from the city with 630 evacuations of people who live near the highway bridge. There are fears that the sections of Morandi Bridge that are still standing could come crashing down.
Investigators were today carrying out work to establish how the massive structure came crashing downEPAAuthorities continue to search for the missing and have said that up to 20 bodies could still be buried in the rubble.
The Italian government has blamed the private contractor in charge of the motorway for poor maintenance, threatening to terminate contracts with toll-road operator Autostrade per l'Italia's and impose heavy fines.