19 killed as two buildings collapse in Morocco

Rescue workers and residents search for survivors amid the wreckage of two collapsed buildings in Fez, Morocco (Ahmed Alaoui Mrani/AP)

Two four-storey buildings have collapsed in the Moroccan city of Fez, killing 19 people, authorities said.

Morocco’s state news agency reported that the two residential buildings housed eight families.

Sixteen people were injured in the collapse and sent for treatment at a nearby hospital.

Authorities said the neighbourhood had been evacuated and search and rescue efforts were ongoing.

Rescue workers search for survivors after two buildings collapsed in Fez (Ahmed Alaoui Mrani/AP)

It was unclear what caused the collapse or how many people were unaccounted for on Wednesday morning.

Fez is Morocco’s third-largest city and one of the hosts of this month’s Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 Fifa World Cup.

It is best known for its walled city packed with medieval souks. But beyond tourism, it is also one of the country’s poorest urban centres, where ageing infrastructure is common in many neighbourhoods.

Another collapse in May killed 10 people and injured seven in a building that had already been slated for evacuation, according to Moroccan outlet Le360.

The wreckage of two collapsed buildings in Fez, Morocco (Ahmed Alaoui Mrani/AP)

Building codes are often not enforced in Morocco, especially in ancient cities where ageing multi-family homes are common.

Gaps in basic services were a focal point of protests that swept the country earlier this year, with demonstrators criticising the government for investing in new stadiums instead of addressing inequality in healthcare, education and other public services.