RABAT, May 21 (Reuters) – Eleven people were killed and six others injured when a four-storey building collapsed overnight in the Moroccan city of Fez, about 200 kilometres (124 miles) east of Rabat, state-owned broadcaster 2M said on Thursday.
Authorities said a search for others who might still be buried was ongoing. Media showed footage of rescuers and residents digging through the rubble.
An investigation has been launched into the incident, and residents of adjacent buildings were asked to evacuate as a precaution against potential further collapses, authorities said.
Fez, a former capital dating back to the eighth century and the country’s third-most-populous city, has seen similar incidents in recent months, including one in December when two buildings collapsed, killing at least 22 people.
In 2010, the collapse of a minaret in the historic northern city of Meknes killed 41 people.
Adib Ben Ibrahim, housing secretary of state, said last year that approximately 38,800 buildings across the country had been classified as being at risk of collapse.
(Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Hugh Lawson, Aidan Lewis)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.