1.
GV. COLLAPSED BRIDGE.
0.04

2.
LV. REMAINING PILLAR WITH RIVER FLOWING BY PAN DOWN TO SHOW WRECKED CAR BELOW.
0.11

3.
CU. MAN POINTING.
0.13

4.
S.CU. WRECKED CAR.
0.19

5.
LV. SECTION OF WRECKED BRIDGE.
0.22

6.
SV. TWO MEN WITH ROPE.
0.24

7.
LV. MAN BEING LOWERED DOWN TO WRECKED CAR.
0.29

8.
SV. MAN SWINGING ON ROPE OVER SIDE OF BRIDGE; BEING HAULED UP.
0.36

9.
LV. BRIDGE.
0.39

10.
SV. WATER RUSHING PAST PILLAR.
0.41

11.
CU. MEN POINTING.
0.43

12.
SV. RUSHING WATER.
0.45

13.
LV. ONLOOKERS.
0.47

14.
SV. PAN ALONG WRECKED BRIDGE.
0.54



Initials DD/S/WH/IRMD



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: HEAVY RAINS BROUGHT SEVERE FLOODING TO MANY PARTS OF EUROPE DURING THE LAST DAYS OF 1961 AND FLOODING WAS FOLLOWED BY FREEZING TEMPERATURE SNOW AND SLUSH, CAUSING FURTHER HAVOC TO TRAFFIC, COMMUNICATIONS AND ISOLATED TOWNS AND VILLAGES. ON DECEMBER 28TH THE SWOLLEN MARECCHIA RIVER WRECKED THE ROAD BRIDGE AT SANTA-ARCANGELO DI ROMAGNA, NEAR RIMINI IN NORTH EAST ITALY.

A SMALL CAR CROSSING THE BRIDGE WAS HURLED INTO THE RAGING RIVER WITH SLABS OF FALLING MASONRY. THE DRIVER MANAGED TO ESCAPE AFTER POLICE HAD BEEN LOWERED BY ROPES TO FREE HIM. AT RAVENNA, ALSO IN NORTH EAST ITALY, THREE PEOPLE WERE REPORTED MISSING AND SOME 100 PEOPLE WERE EVACUATED FROM FLOODED FARMS.

IN HOLLAND, AIR FORCE PLANES WERE USED TO CARRY SUPPLIES TO PEOPLE CUT OFF BY FREEZING WEATHER. CANALS IN WEST GERMANY WERE FROZEN OVER AND TRAFFIC WAS DELAYED IN EAST GERMANY. IN THE FRENCH PYRENEES TWO MEN WERE KILLED IN AN AVALANCHE CAUSED BY THE CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE. REPORTS OF HARDSHIP CAUSED BY SNOW AND FLOODS CONTINUED TO COME IN FROM PLACES AS FAR APART AS AMERICA AND CONGO. SEVERE FLOODING HAS CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGED TO HOMED AND CROPS IN THE CONGO VALLEY.