Middle East News
12 killed, most of them schoolgirls, in Egypt road accident
Dec 31, 2010, 12:24 GMT
Cairo- At least 12 bodies were retrieved, seven of them schoolgirls, from floodwaters after a bus overturned due to heavy rainfall in the Upper Egyptian city of Minya, security officials confirmed Friday.
The bus, which was carrying 46 schoolgirls - all under the age of 14 - overturned late Wednesday night.
Security sources first reported that 11 of the occupants on the bus were unaccounted for, as search teams scoured the torrential floodwaters for the bodies.
Among those confirmed dead were three teachers, the driver and an emergency responder whose ambulance was swept away in the floods.
The Governor of Assiut, where the accident occurred, ordered 5,000 Egyptian pounds (860 dollars) to be paid to the families of the dead and 2,000 Egyptian pounds to the families of the injured.
Earlier this week, strong rain, hail and winds had claimed four lives near the capital Cairo, while at least 81 people were injured in road accidents due to the poor weather conditions.
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