New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) Home Minister Rajnath Singh took stock of the situation in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi district where at least 18 people were killed when an under-construction bridge collapsed this afternoon.

Singh also expressed deep anguish over the tragedy.

"HM also spoke to the district magistrate of Varanasi who has apprised him of the incident. The @NDRFHQ teams have been rushed to the spot for rescue operations," the home minister's office tweeted.

Singh also conveyed his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.

Seven teams of the NDRF, each comprising 45 personnel, have rushed to the spot for rescue operation.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)