Many others are believed to be buried underneath the rock as rescue efforts continue.

Egypt's state news agency quoted the country's Health Ministry as saying a total of 38 bodies have been recovered from the site of the shanty town buried under Saturday's rock slide.

Another 57 have been confirmed injured, with 21 still in hospitals.

Hopes have fallen of finding any more survivors among the hundreds of people still believed trapped beneath the massive boulders that destroyed the poor neighbourhood.