Karbala ( Iraq ) - (AFP) - Since Saturday, Iraqi rescue teams have been trying to pull out people trapped under the rubble following the fall of an earthen mound on a Shiite religious shrine in Karbala governorate in the south of the country, while at least six people are believed to be still trapped, he said. Sunday Civil Defense.

Rescue teams have succeeded in pulling out three children so far from under the rubble, and said that they are "in good health and have been taken to the hospital to monitor their health status."

However, it is expected that "there are still six to eight people stranded," said a spokesman for the Civil Defense Directorate, Nawas Sabah Shaker, to AFP.

"The evictions are still going on," he added.

The incident took place on Saturday afternoon, when an earthen berm fell on the Qattara shrine of Imam Ali, located 25 km west of Karbala, due to "the saturation of the earthen berm adjacent to the shrine with moisture," as reported by the Civil Defense Directorate and the Iraqi News Agency.

A civil defense spokesman told AFP that "sand dunes and rocks collapsed due to the high humidity on the shrine building," which is located on low ground surrounded by sand and rocks.

He added that this "caused the collapse of about 30 percent of the building's area, which is estimated at 100 square meters."

The Civil Defense Directorate told the Iraqi News Agency that the work was continuing throughout the night. It stated that its teams were able to "deliver oxygen, drinking water and food to the detainees by making holes in the pile of rubble and concrete blocks, with continuous verbal communication to reassure them."

Large numbers of visitors from various governorates of Iraq constantly flock to visit Al-Qattara, which is sacred to Shiite Muslims.

Al Qattara site extends over an area of 1,000 square meters and includes a hall where water flows from one of its rock walls.