Death toll of Upper Egypt building collapse rises to seven

El-Sayed Gamal El-Din , Sunday 8 Jan 2023

At least seven people died and three others were injured after a five-storey building collapsed early on Sunday in the Upper Egypt governorate of Assiut.

Egypt
File Photo: The collapse of a building in Assiut (Photo: Al-Ahram)

 

The three who were injured were rescued from the rubble by civil protection personnel, authorities said.

A search is still underway for missing residents.

The prosecution has initiated an investigation into the incident.

MP Sanaa Al-Saeed has submitted a parliamentary question to prime minister and local development minister on the measures taken by the government to tackle the collapse of buildings in Assiut.

Building collapses are not uncommon in Egypt, and they are usually attributed to violations of building regulations, illegal building extensions, and lax government oversight.

In recent years, resolute measures have been taken to stop building violations, especially on agricultural land nationwide.

Egypt saw a significant rise in illegal construction during the security vacuum that followed the 2011 uprising, with many people constructing multi-storey buildings without acquiring the necessary permits or complying with safety standards.

 

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