Zamalek’s leaning building: A nightmare turns into reality

Zamalek’s leaning building: A nightmare turns into reality

Egyptian authorities on Sunday have evacuated an apartment building in Cairo's Zamalek neighborhood that has begun to sink on one side, causing the structure to lean.

Cairo governor Khaled Abdel-Aal checked on the building, known as the Sharbatly building, and ordered an engineering committee to inspect it and find out the extent to which it is affected by the sinkhole.

The property consists of two parts, the first of which overlooks Brazil Street and consists of 12 floors and 37 apartments. Sixteen of the apartments are inhabited and 21 are vacant.

The second part of the building overlooks Aziz Abaza Street, and has 11 floors containing 33 apartments, 28 of which are inhabited, and five of which are vacant.

Initial inspection showed damage, including cracks, a sinkhole under the garage, and a sinkhole near the entrance.

Maha al-Tarabeshi, a resident of a building adjacent to the leaning property and a vocal activist against the extension of the Cairo metro into Zamalek, blamed the metro construction project for the sinkhole, adding that digging related to the construction has been a source of great annoyance over the past several years.

During a call-in with a television program on the state-owned Channel One, Tarabeshi said the building has been