Iraq: Rescue workers continued their search for survivors until Sunday night after a landslide at a Shia Muslim shrine in central Iraq killed at least five people, including a child.
"After more than 24 hours of searching through fallen rocks, wood and other debris, we have found five bodies," Civil Defense General Abdelrahman Jawadat told Agence France-Presse.
In case of more prey, he continued digging, saying, "This may be the last match."
It is the most recent tragedy to hit oil-rich but poor Iraq, which has struggled to end decades of conflict but is constrained by political paralysis, endemic corruption and other issues.
Iraqi rescuers searched for survivors trapped beneath the rubble of the Qattarat al-Imam Ali shrine on the outskirts of Karbala on Sunday
According to Civil Defense Navas Saba Shakar, six to eight pilgrims are reported to be trapped under the rubble of a shrine called Qattarat al-Imam Ali near the city of Karbala.
The entrance to the shrine, which resembles a half-dome and is embellished with blue tiles covered in Arabic script, was destroyed by rescuers by bulldozing it through.
The sacred structure is located at the base of high, bare rock walls, and is surrounded by two minarets. Its concrete roof was partially broken.
Jawadat said rescue teams had found bodies of two women, a man and a child and were trying to retrieve the body of the fifth victim, a woman.
While rescue teams were working inside and spectators watched from behind a metal fence, armed security personnel guarded the entrance to the temple.
Emergency services had previously reported that three children had been rescued from Saturday afternoon's disaster and were in "good condition" and were being seen in hospital.
According to state news agency INA, some of those trapped in the rubble were able to get oxygen supplies, food and water from rescue teams working all night on Saturday.
On Twitter, "heroic" rescuers were urged by Iraq's President Barham Saleh to "mobilize all efforts to rescue those trapped".
Acting Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi urged his interior minister to directly supervise the rescue on the ground and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Earlier, emergency responders said they were maintaining verbal contact with victims "to reassure them".
"We are working hard and with great accuracy to reach those trapped," said Jawadat, director of the Civil Defense Media Department.
"Any error may result in further collapse."
Basem Khazali, who was present at the scene, said that his nephew was also among those buried.
"I'm afraid all our efforts will be in vain... "We want to know what happened and why," Khazali told AFP.
According to Shaker, a civil defence, "sand dunes and rocks fell on the temple building," blaming the moisture.
The strict temple is dedicated to Imam Ali, the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, who, according to Shia tradition, stayed there with his army for battle in AD 657.
It is located in a natural depression about 25 kilometers (15 mi) west of Karbala, a Shia holy city and the final resting place of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
Shias believe Hussein, who died in battle in AD 680, to be the rightful successor of the Prophet Muhammad, which is the source of a dispute with Sunni Islam.
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