Kollam: A major disaster was narrowly avoided when a section of the under-construction National Highway in Kottiyam, Kollam, collapsed while vehicles were passing along the service road. A school bus carrying children was among the four vehicles trapped at the scene. The collapse caused the road to crack and a large pit to form, reportedly due to a landslide on the highway.

The fact that the collapsed section and the retaining wall did not fall onto the service road prevented a major catastrophe. However, the retaining wall remains unstable and could collapse at any moment. All occupants of the school bus and other vehicles were safely evacuated.

A water drain running beneath the road is believed to have contributed to the accident, with preliminary reports suggesting that the road was c

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