Rock Formation Collapse at Cappadocia Site Reported to Kill at Least Two

At least two people were killed on Thursday when a rock formation collapsed at a tourist site in Cappadocia, in central Turkey, according to local media cited by the BBC.

The collapsed structure was a "fairy chimney", a tall, narrow column of soft rock topped by a harder cap, which is a common feature of the Cappadocia landscape. The BBC reported that it fell at the Göreme Open Air Museum, a cluster of rock-cut churches and monasteries that draws large numbers of visitors.

Ambulances and rescue teams were sent to the site, and a search and rescue operation was under way, the BBC reported.

The cause of the collapse was not immediately known. Local media reported heavy rain in the Cappadocia region.

Fairy chimneys are shaped over long periods by wind and water, and the region's rock is relatively soft, which makes the formations vulnerable to erosion. Turkish outlet Hurriyet Daily News has reported on conservation work in the area, including restoration on two fairy chimneys that had been ongoing for nearly two years, and the use of airbag-like supports on a collapsing formation.