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.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Health and Population ordered the evacuation of the hospital’s free clinics, and the formation of a technical committee comprising experts from the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and the company implementing the third metro line project in order to examine the damage. Preliminary inspections showed only minor cracks.
The governmental Information and Decision Support Center issued an official statement Jan. 28, denying reports about the government’s intention to demolish El-Galaa Hospital to make way for the metro line drilling works. The statement explained that the Ministry of Health and Population’s decision to evacuate the hospital came as a result of the series of tremors due to the excavation works, which did not show any structural damage to the building.
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