In the Moroccan city of Fes, two four-story residential buildings collapsed overnight, killing 22 people, making it the second fatal disaster of this type this year and highlighting the problem of outdated infrastructure in the country's poor urban centers. Local authorities reported this on Wednesday, writes UNN.
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The Moroccan state news agency MAP specified that eight families lived in the two collapsed residential buildings. Sixteen people were injured in the collapse and were promptly taken to the hospital. Authorities said the area had been evacuated and search and rescue operations were ongoing. It has not yet been established what caused the collapse or how many people are considered missing, but an investigation has been launched. MAP reported that the structures were built in 2006 as part of a self-build initiative called "City Without Slums."
Fes, Morocco's third-largest city and one of the venues for this year's Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, is best known for its historic walled city, but is also one of the country's poorest urban centers. Due to rapid population growth, building collapses, where outdated infrastructure is common, are not uncommon. In May of this year, Fes already experienced a building collapse that was planned for evacuation, resulting in 10 deaths and seven injuries.