Highway bridge collapses in western India, casualties feared

NEW DELHI — Police say two to three vehicles carrying dozens of people plunged into a flooded river after a portion of an old bridge collapsed on Mumbai-Goa highway in western India.

Police officer Sanjay Patil says rescuers have not seen the vehicles or any survivors hours after the bridge collapsed about midnight Tuesday.

O.P. Singh, chief of the state-run National Disaster Response Force, said 80 rescuers, including divers, rushed to the area but their efforts were being hampered by heavy rains.

Singh said the first reports said at least two buses fell into the Savitri river flooded by heavy monsoon rains.

Goa is a popular tourist resort.

Officials said traffic has been diverted to a new bridge in the area.