In the Moroccan city of Fez, two neighboring four-story buildings collapsed on Wednesday night, resulting in the deaths of 22 people, authorities reported, according to LETA citing AP.
According to the state agency MAP, eight families lived in these buildings.
As a result of the disaster, 16 people were injured and taken to the hospital. The area has been evacuated, and search and rescue operations are ongoing, authorities reported.
The cause of the collapse is currently unknown, and the exact number of missing persons is also unclear. An investigation has been launched.
As reported by MAP, both buildings were constructed in 2006 as part of the "City Without Slums" initiative.
Fez is the third largest city in Morocco, best known for its old part, surrounded by walls, with numerous medieval markets. The city also houses one of the poorest urban centers in the country with outdated infrastructure.
In May of this year, a tragedy occurred in Fez when a building scheduled for evacuation collapsed: 10 people died and seven were injured.
Building codes are often violated in Morocco, especially in old cities. Although the buildings that collapsed on Wednesday were built to code, additional floors had been added to them.
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