Death Toll Rises to 14 in Building Collapse in S. Egypt

CAIRO, Xinhua: The death toll from the collapse of a three-story building in Egypt’s southern governorate of Assiut rose to 14, while six other residents were injured, said a statement by local authorities on Tuesday.

The building collapsed in East Assiut district on Monday, and rescue teams have been searching for survivors over the past 24 hours, according to the statement issued by the media office of Assiut province.

Assiut Governor Essam Saad has arrived at the accident scene and ordered coordination with concerned authorities to ensure urgent financial assistance to the victims’ families and all necessary support to the injured.

The governor also asked to form an engineering committee to check the collapsed building and the surrounding ones, find out the causes of the collapse, and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of nearby houses, the statement said.

“The neighboring houses were inspected to ensure their safety, and some of the damaged houses were evacuated, and the necessary urgent measures were taken to preserve the lives of citizens,” said the media office.