Two Egyptians died Monday after a residential building collapsed in Beirut, Lebanon's capital, the Interior Ministry said.
Four other Egyptians survived the collapse, which happened in Beirut's district of Ashrafiya late Sunday.
A medical source told Al-Masry Al-Youm that 17 corpses were recovered from the debris, including those of two Egyptians. The corpses were kept at a morgue in the government-run Rafik Hariri hospital, the source added.
A statement by Lebanon's Interior Ministry said that in addition to the corpses recovered from the five-story building, twelve people were found alive, and 25 remain missing. The statement added that rescue missions have been ongoing since late Sunday.
Earlier on Monday, Egypt's Lebanon ambassador Mohamed Tawfik said that four Egyptians survived the collapse. Three were not inside the building when it fell down, and the fourth was inside but suffered meager bruises.
Tawfik said he is following up the relief efforts in coordination with Lebanese officials, noting that Lebanon's president, accompanied by ministers and MPs, headed immediately to the site of the collapse.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the aging building may have collapsed due to heavy rains.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
