(Seychelles News Agency) - The President of Seychelles, Danny Faure, has offered his deepest condolences to the Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte, following the tragic incident in the city of Genoa, State House said on Thursday.

Speaking on behalf of the people and the government of Seychelles, Faure expressed his solidarity with the Italian People and wished them strength and fortitude in this moment of grief.

According to the Associated Press, a US-based news agency, “A bridge on a main highway linking Italy with France collapsed Tuesday in the Italian port city of Genoa during a violent storm, sending vehicles plunging 45 meters (nearly 150 feet) into a heap of rubble. Authorities said at least 20 people were killed, although the death toll fluctuated throughout the day and some people were found alive in the debris.”

The Associated Press added that “the collapse came on the eve of a major Italian summer holiday on Wednesday called Ferragosto, which marks the religious feast of the Assumption of Mary. It’s the high point of the season, when most businesses are closed and Italians head to the beaches or the mountains. That means traffic could have been heavier than usual on the Genoa highway.”