A residential building under construction in Ethiopia’s capital collapsed, killing no fewer than seven people who were sleeping in a house next door, Africa Today News, New York reports.
The disaster happened early on Wednesday at around 05:00 local time (02:00 BST) in Addis Ketema, one of the busiest neighbourhoods in Addis Ababa, local media reported.
Nigatu Mamo, a spokesperson for the local authorities, told the reporters on Thursday that the deceased include children aged four, 11 and 12.
“The victims lost their lives due to lack of air,” Mamo added.
Reports say the police have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse.
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It is not the first time the area has experienced an incident of this kind – in 2022 at least six people died and seven others were injured after a building fell in Merkato, one of Africa’s biggest open markets.
Experts have said that poor quality structures and weak regulations are likely to have caused the buildings to collapse.
In another report, no fewer than 33 Ethiopian migrants – including an eight-year-old boy – have reportedly died after their boat capsized off the coast of Djibouti, Africa Today News, New York has gathered.
The UN’s migration agency reported that they were among 77 people crossing the Red Sea from Yemen to Ethiopia, t
Africa Today News, New York gathered it was fishermen who alerted coastguards to the tragedy on Tuesday after witnessing some of the migrants drowning.
Rescuers managed to save more than 20 people but others remain missing.
The survivors’ shock and fear was clear to see as they were brought ashore in Djibouti to the town of Godoria and taken to hospital for treatment.
They have since been repatriated to Ethiopia by the UN’s migration agency, the IOM.