"Makeshift scaffolding set up at a church in Ethiopia has collapsed, killing at least 36 people and injuring dozens, state media reported. The incident occurred at about 7:45am [4:45 GMT] on Wednesday in the town of Arerti, in the Amhara region, some 70 kilometres (43 miles) east of the capital, Addis Ababa. A group of pilgrims were visiting the Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam Church to mark the annual Virgin Mary festival when the scaffolding collapsed."
"District police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu told state media Fana the number of dead has reached 36 and could increase more, according to the AFP news agency. The number of people injured remains unclear, but some reports suggest they could be as many as 200. Local official Atnafu Abate told the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) that some people remained under the rubble but did not provide details on rescue operations. Some of the more seriously hurt were taken to hospitals in the capital, he added."
At about 7:45am on Wednesday, makeshift scaffolding at the Menjar Shenkora Arerti Mariam Church in Arerti, Amhara region collapsed while pilgrims marked the annual Virgin Mary festival. At least 36 people were killed and dozens injured; officials warned the death toll could rise and some reports suggest up to 200 injured. Some victims remained under rubble with rescue details not provided, and seriously injured people were taken to hospitals in Addis Ababa. Images showed tangled wooden poles and crowds amid dense debris, with scaffolding appearing precariously constructed. Health and safety regulations are virtually non-existent in Ethiopia, making construction accidents common.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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