A rock spire collapsed in Turkey's Cappadocia region on Thursday after heavy rain set off a landslide, killing three people and injuring five, Reuters and The Independent report. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a magnet for tourists.

The collapse happened near a car park at an entrance to the site in the town of Goreme, Governor Huseyin Kok said, according to the outlets. He said recent heavy rain likely caused it. Witnesses described a loud noise and a huge cloud of dust, Reuters reports.

Justice Minister Akin Gurlek first said two people had been killed. Rescue teams later pulled another body from the rubble, bringing the toll to three, Reuters reports, citing the governor. Two of the dead were Turkish. Reuters says the third was a foreign national, while The Independent says the governor gave no details on the third victim.

Thursday was Turkey's Republic Day holiday, when the area would have been crowded with visitors, The Independent reports. The site was closed to the public after the collapse, according to local reports cited by Reuters.

Crews with heavy machinery worked through the night under floodlights before ending the search, Reuters reports. The governor said all checks had been completed. An investigation by the chief prosecutor's office, with expert assessments, was set to begin on Friday.

Cappadocia is famous for cone-shaped rock towers called fairy chimneys, formed by ancient volcanic activity. Another rockfall there in 2024 caused no injuries. Turkey's tourism ministry has launched restoration work to protect the fragile rocks from erosion and climate damage, Reuters reports.

What we know: A rock spire collapse in Cappadocia killed three people and injured five.
What we don't: The identity of all the victims, and what the investigation will find.