Cairo: Ten Egyptians were killed in a slum area on the edges of Cairo after their dwellings collapsed due to heavy rains, security sources and media said Saturday.
Egypt was hit by rare torrential rains and thunder storms on Thursday and Friday, prompting authorities to warn people against going outdoors.
The flooding knocked down three houses in Cairo’s southern district of May 15 City, killing 10 dwellers, security sources said.
The fatalities included an entire family, private newspaper Al Youm Al Saba reported.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the dwellings were illegally built in the course of flood spillways in the slum area. Must houses there were built of mud bricks.
In response to the incident, the Minister of Social Solidarity Nevin Al Qabag inspected the area, mostly inhabited by garbage collectors, to assess ways of upgrading it as part of a national project to develop shanty towns.
The Egyptian government shut down schools and universities for three days beginning Thursday due to the bad weather that killed a total of 20 people in different accidents across the country, according to Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli.
Images on social media showed cars stuck in rain-submerged roads as well as trees and road billboards toppled by fierce winds.
The bad weather, the worst in Egypt since 1996, forced a temporary closure of several highways and harbours in the country.
The Meteorology Department said the weather will start improving later Saturday.
