Egypt: 13 injured as trains collide in Cairo 

Thirteen people were injured when two passenger trains collided amid bad weather conditions in Cairo yesterday, causing a brief suspension of rail services.

One train, travelling from Aswan, collided with the back of a second train, going from Sohag to Cairo, between Ramses – also known as Misr Station, the main train station in Cairo – and Imbaba train stations in the Rod El-Farag area.

Seventeen ambulances were sent to the crash site, according to Khaled Megahid, the spokesman for the Ministry of Health.

All those wounded were hospitalised, but the injuries sustained were “minor bruises and scrapes” and not life-threatening, he said.

Megahid added that the injured were taken to the Nasser Institute Hospital in Shoubra in southern Cairo.

Egypt’s Transportation Minister Kamel Al-Wzeir visited the site of the crash and ordered an investigation into the incident, according to an official statement.

Following the accident, the Egyptian Railway Authority announced a nationwide suspension of railway movement due to the weather conditions.

The Cairo Metro announced a partial suspension yesterday over the weather, with no service from New Al-Merg station to the Martyrs station at Tahrir Square.

READ: Egypt says no coronavirus cases in schools

Adding that the city’s second and third metro lines are operating as usual.

A rainstorm struck Egypt yesterday, accompanied by high winds, thunder and freezing temperatures.

The storm has killed at least five people and injuring a further five, as officials have closed schools, government offices and transport hubs.

Official reports state that a total of 31 trees, 16 electricity towers, a minaret of a mosque, and five houses in the governorate of Cairo have collapsed has a result of the weather.

The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) has predicted more heavy rain and thunderstorms today in Cairo, Lower Egypt, and the north western coast, with heavy rainfall predicted for central Sinai, South Sinai, the Red Sea mountains and norther Upper Egypt.

حدث اليوم في "مصر" 6 أكتوبر ..
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The government declared a state of emergency yesterday and a paid holiday to avoid traffic in the streets.

The Ministry of the Interior announced the closure of up to ten desert highways in Upper Egypt, including the Qena-Luxor and Qena-Red Sea highways to prevent road accidents.

While, volunteers with 4×4 vehicles were pictured driving the streets of New Cairo, a residential suburb of the capital, helping people and vehicles stranded on the streets. Vacuum trucks are being used to drain rainwater.

A group of volunteers are roaming the streets of Cairo to lend a helping hand to people and vehicles stuck on the streets due to heavy rain on 13 March 2020 [EgyProjects/Twitter]