A major highway bridge along the northern Italian coast collapsed during a torrential rainstorm, sending concrete and vehicles plunging more than 150 feet and killing at least 35 people.

The collapse in the port city of Genoa created an earthquake-like scene of destruction that left slabs of gray concrete and twisted strands of iron blanketing railroad tracks, buildings and a river bed filled with weeds and marsh grass.

Rescuers scrambled to pull people from the rubble, and searched the devastation using sniffer dogs.

Al Jazeera's Sabina Castelfranco told Kate Hawkesby hundreds have been forced from their homes.

"Some of those people may not be returning to their homes because it is possible those homes will need to be destroyed, as will the two sections of the bridge that were left standing."

LISTEN ABOVE AS SABINA CASTELFRANCO SPEAKS WITH KATE HAWKESBY