Two four-story residential buildings in the Moroccan city of Fez collapsed overnight, killing 22 people in what authorities described as the second deadly building collapse in the city this year.
According to Morocco’s state news agency, the two buildings were home to eight families. Sixteen people were injured and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Authorities confirmed that the neighbourhood had been evacuated, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.
The cause of the collapse remains unclear, and officials have not confirmed how many residents are still missing as of Wednesday morning.
Fez, Morocco’s third-largest city, is one of the hosts for this month’s Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The city is famous for its medieval walled district filled with souks and tanneries.
However, beyond tourism, Fez is among the country’s poorest urban areas, with many neighbourhoods plagued by ageing infrastructure.
Earlier in May, another building collapse killed 10 people and injured seven. That building had already been marked for evacuation, according to Moroccan news outlet Le360.
Building regulations are often poorly enforced in Morocco, particularly in historic cities where old multi-family homes are common.
Earlier this year, protests highlighted gaps in basic services, with demonstrators criticising the government for prioritizing new stadiums over health care, education, and other essential public services
