Road crashes by heavy fog claim 22 lives in Egypt

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CAIRO: Bad weather including heavy fog caused two major traffic accidents in Egypt on Sunday that left at least 22 people dead, officials said.

The deadlier accident saw 16 people killed and 21 wounded in multiple car crashes near Beni Sueif on the highway linking Cairo to Upper Egypt, police said.

Two dozen vehicles were involved in the accident, police said, blaming thick early morning fog.

Six people were killed and three others wounded when a truck ferrying workers crashed into a train at a railway crossing south of Cairo, police said.

The driver of the truck was unable to see the closed railway crossing due to fog and crashed his vehicle into the train, police said.

Egypt is notorious for traffic accidents due to its poorly maintained roads and little enforcement of traffic regulations.

The World Health Organization says traffic accidents account for nearly 12,000 deaths annually in Egypt.