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Cairo metro drillings put heritage buildings at risk

Construction work on Cairo's third metro line caused cracks in the heritage building that houses El-Galaa Hospital, and residents wonder if more old buildings are at risk.
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CAIRO — Doctors and patients at El-Galaa Teaching Hospital, housed in one of the oldest heritage buildings in central Cairo, felt a series of strong tremors Jan. 21. People were seen rushing out of the building following the blasting sounds. The earthquake-like shaking of the building was the result of the drilling works on the third metro line, which is due to operate by November 2021.

El-Galaa Hospital is a center for obstetrics and gynecology established under King Fuad in 1934. According to Suheir Hawas, member of the National Organization for Urban Harmony, the hospital was previously known as the Fuad I Maternity Hospital and the building was registered in accordance with Law No. 144 of 2006, regulating the demolition of non-derelict monuments and preserving architectural heritage.

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