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Hotel wall caves in on wedding party, kills 15 in Peru

Published : 27 Jan 2019, 20:30

Updated : 27 Jan 2019, 23:24

DF-Xinhua Report

Photo provided by the National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci) shows rescuers working at the site where the wall and roof of a hotel collapsed during a wedding ceremony in the Tamburco district, Abancay province of the department of Apurimac, southern Peru, on Jan. 27, 2019. Photo Xinhua/Indeci.

At least 15 people were killed and another 30 injured after a hotel wall collapsed on a wedding party in the southern Peruvian department of Apurimac, the National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci) said on Sunday.

The head of Indeci, Jorge Chavez, said recent heavy rains probably weakened the structure, causing the wall and part of the roof to cave in at around 12:30 a.m. local time (0530 GMT) on Sunday.

The Alhambra Hotel in the rural town of Abancay was hosting a wedding celebration, leading to a high number of victims.

Half of those injured were treated for minor injuries and allowed to go home, while the remaining 15 are considered to be in "delicate" condition, said Chavez.

State news agency Andina reported authorities had already identified eight of the fatal victims and 22 of the injured.

Among the list of injured so far, there is a girl aged 7 and a teenage boy.