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At least three people were killed in Cappadocia, a popular tourist destination in central Turkey, when a landslide occurred on Thursday, officials said.
The rockfall took place around 3:15 p.m. local time that day, according to Reuters.
After the region experienced heavy rains, the rockfalls came from a volcanic geological formation called a “fairy chimney”, the same source said.
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The name comes from the tall, narrow, often cone-shaped rock formations that resemble chimneys, with the “fairy” reference linked to local folklore.
Fragments of rock from the fairy chimney broke off and fell on people near the Göreme open-air museum, Nevsehir Governor Huseyin Kok told reporters.
At least three people were killed and five others injured after a landslide hit Cappadocia, a popular outdoor tourist destination in central Turkey. (Ihlas News Agency via Reuters)
Three people died and five were injured, according to the Associated Press.
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“We hope there will be no other victims,” Kok said, according to AP.
“We are deeply saddened.”
The fatal rockfall occurred around 3:15 p.m. on Thursday near the Göreme Open Air Museum, pictured. (Sercan Ozkurnazli/dia images via Getty Images)
Kok said two of the three people killed were Turkish nationals, but did not provide information about the third person, the AP reported.
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It is unclear whether the dead and injured were tourists, employees or others.
Cappadocia’s fairy chimneys are tall, narrow, often cone-shaped rock formations that have become a defining feature of this popular tourist spot. (DEA/L. Romano/De Agostini via Getty Images)
Rescue teams were searching the rubble at the height of the landslide, according to the governor.
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Cappadocia, located in central Turkey, southeast of the capital Ankara, is known for its distinctive fairy chimneys, cave dwellings and ancient rock-cut churches.
The tragedy follows other fatal accidents involving tourists in popular destinations this month.
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Earlier in October, a 55-year-old Brazilian tourist was fatally struck in the head by a piece of roofing material that flew away during high winds while he was visiting Taliesin West, a historic Arizona landmark designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
A popular tourist destination in central Turkey, Cappadocia is a site known for its picturesque hot air balloon rides and distinctive fairy chimney-shaped rock formations. (Zhou Zhiyong/VCG via Getty Images)
Also in October, a 36-year-old American tourist died after falling approximately 300 meters down a steep mountain slope in the Italian Dolomites while on vacation with her family.
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Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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