Thiruvananthapuram: The sea bridge at Valiyathura (known by the names Raithura or Rajathura) here on Friday morning snapped into two. The bridge had been deteriorating and one side of it collapsed today around 8 am due to tidal waves. 

Two years back, the entry gate of the bridge was bent. During the visit to the spot, the then Ports  minister Ahammed Devarkovil  had assured that the damages would be repaired. However, there was no follow-up.

The sea bridge or pier was  one of the iconic landmarks of  Valiyathura. The 214-metre pier was opened in 1825. A ship, named MV Pandit, had  crashed on to the bridge  in 1947,  destroying  the structure and killing many people. 

The incident triggered massive protests. Later the pier was reconstructed in 1959.