Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte today declared a year-long state of emergency for the region of Liguria after the bridge disaster that killed 39. Conte, speaking at a news conference in Genoa, said he made the declaration after a request from regional authorities. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from areas surrounding the Morandi bridge – built in 1967- over fears the remains of the structure that are still standing could also come crashing down.
During the press conference, the prime minister took aim at toll-road operator Autostrade, a unit of Milan-listed Atlantia group, which operated the bridge as part of a stretch of the A10 motorway it manages. Conte said it had been responsible for ensuring safety on the bridge and the government would not await the outcome of a current criminal investigation into the disaster before taking action. His outburst came as Italian prosecutors revealed they are focusing their investigation on design flaws and inadequate maintenance of the bridge.