Rock formation collapses at tourist site in Cappadocia
At least two people were killed and five others injured in the collapse.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
Part of a rock formation collapsed on Thursday near Göreme in Cappadocia, one of Turkey’s best-known tourist areas. According to the authorities, at least two people were killed and five others injured.
The collapse occurred at the entrance to the Göreme open-air museum, in Nevşehir province. Emergency services sent medical teams and rescue workers to the site. The search for possible further victims was still under way on Thursday afternoon, according to the authorities.
The rock formation is locally known as a fairy chimney, a column of volcanic rock formed by erosion. The governor of Nevşehir said heavy rainfall had probably played a role. An investigation into the cause has been opened.
The number of victims varied in initial reports. Reuters initially reported two deaths and one injury; The Associated Press later reported two deaths and five injuries. AP therefore reported a higher number of injuries than Reuters.
Cappadocia attracts large numbers of visitors each year because of its landscape of rock formations, valleys and underground cities. According to UNESCO, the area around Göreme is on the World Heritage List. The rocks were formed by volcanic deposits that have been eroded over thousands of years.
After the collapse, the area was cordoned off and heavy machinery was used to remove boulders. AP reported on Thursday that the nationalities of the victims were not yet known. According to AP, it was also not yet clear whether the damage would affect the opening of the museum or other tourist sites.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article’s central claims are confirmed by two recent wire-service reports. Differences between the initial reports on the number of victims have been stated transparently.
- confirmed A rock formation collapsed near Göreme in Cappadocia on 29 October 2026. — Confirmed by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed At least two people were killed. — Confirmed by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed Heavy rainfall probably played a role. — The governor cited heavy rainfall as a probable cause; this is not a definitive finding of the investigation. source
Editor's note
The collapse, death toll and location were confirmed by AP and Reuters. The precise cause and the nationalities of the victims had not yet been definitively established.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „cappadocië göreme”
- RTL Nieuws — „cappadocië göreme”
- NOS — „cappadocië göreme”