20 people killed in Cairo rockslide
Egyptians search for survivors under the rubble of homes at the site of a massive rockslide off Moqattam hill in northern Cairo yesterday. At least 20 people were killed and 22 injured Saturday when dozens of homes in northern Cairo collapsed after being hit by a massive rockslide, Egyptian emergency services said.Photo: AFP
At least 20 people were killed and 23 injured yesterday when dozens of homes in a northern Cairo shantytown were crushed by a massive rockslide, Egyptian officials said.
Disaster struck at 8:50 am (0650 GMT) when several huge boulders estimated by one official at weighing "hundreds of tonnes" each broke off Moqattam hill overlooking the capital's densely populated Manshiyet Nasser and struck into the district of Isbat Bekhit.
The section of hill that broke away was estimated at 60 metres (yards) wide and 15 metres long.
The official MENA news agency reported in the early afternoon that the toll stood at 20 dead and 23 hurt.
But local deputy Haidar Bardadi told Egyptian television he expected the toll to rise drastically, saying 35 homes had been crushed and between 150 and 200 people were trapped beneath the rubble.
Rescuers used their bare hands to shift debris in a desperate bid to search for victims.
The reason for the rockfall, which came at a time when many people were still at home resting during the first weekend of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, was not immediately known.
But several witnesses said work had been taking place on the hill above the quarter for several weeks, and that the authorities had been warned about the dangers.
"There had already been some landslides, slightly hurting some people," said 42-year-old driver Abdel Latin Hossam, whose house was spared.
Labourer Sarghali Gharib, 24, told how he had lost eight members of his family -- five sisters, a sister-in-law and her two children.
"It was horrible, like an earthquake. There had already been collapses, and the government did nothing to evacuate the district," he said angrily.
Police cordoned off the area and specialist dog handlers were deployed in the debris to try and locate survivors.
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