7 Sep 2008

Deadly rockslide hits Cairo homes

8:51 am on 7 September 2008

A big rockslide in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, has killed 31 people and injured 23 others.

Witnesses say at least eight boulders, estimated to weigh about 70 tonnes, fell from cliffs above the Duwayqa district onto a crowded shantytown at about 9am local time (0700 GMT) on Saturday.

It was not clear what had triggered the rockfall but a BBC correspondent says there have been previous landslides in the area.

Parts of the area are being evacuated after new cracks appeared in the cliff face.

Some people are believed to be still trapped in the rubble and dozens of police and rescue workers are at the scene, along with sniffer dogs.

Hundreds of weeping residents have gathered at the site and accuse authorities of being slow to respond to the disaster.