Addis Ababa: At least 36 people have died and more than 200 injured after a makeshift structure built at a church under construction in Ethiopia collapsed, killing at least 36 people and injuring more than 200, the AFP news agency reported. Officials said the death toll could rise as some people were still trapped under the rubble of the disaster.
The town of Arerti, about 70 kilometres east of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, collapsed at around 7:45 am on Wednesday as worshippers gathered at the church for the annual 'Virgin Mary' festival.
According to district police chief Ahmed Gebeyehu, the death toll has reached 36 and is expected to rise further. More than 200 people were injured in the incident and are receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Local official Atnafu Abate confirmed that many more people were trapped under the rubble. He said that the seriously injured were being transferred to hospitals in the capital for further treatment.
Images shared by various media outlets showed people huddled under piles of fallen wooden poles and debris.
The Ethiopian government expressed its condolences over the incident and said that "safety must come first."
Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country, has lax health and safety regulations, making construction-related accidents common.
Ethiopia is one of the world's oldest Christian communities, having declared Christianity its state religion in the fourth century.
The tragedy occurred when a temporary structure collapsed during a celebration in the country, turning the festive season into a nightmare.