Rock slide on Portugal beach kills five

Five people were crushed to death by a rock slide yesterday on a beach in Portugal's southern Algarve region, rescue workers at the popular tourism destination said.

"We have confirmed that five people died, one man and four women," civil protection commander Artur Ricardo said, adding that a further three people were injured.

The incident occurred around midday at Albufeira, one of Algarve's top beach spots.

Rescuers used mechanical diggers to clear rocks to reach the missing people, the national Civil Protection authority said on its website. Their work was hampered by the rising tide during the afternoon, which left most of the beach underwater.

The resort is popular with both local and foreign tourists as well as celebrities. The nationality of the victims was not immediately known. People on the beach described the panic after a massive crash and huge clouds of dust engulfed holidaymakers, the Portuguese Lusa news agency "Part of the cliff came down around noon," one witness told the agency.

"Rocks crashed onto the beach up to the sea causing great panic," the witness added.

Another witness, who gave his name as Joaquim Ribeiro, said he saw a "a huge wave of dust, followed by a deafening noise.

"It was like a plane crashing, people started screaming," he said.

Portuguese television channels showed mechanical diggers at work on the beach clearing rocks and boulders.

Police cordoned off the beach, several kilometres (miles) from the town centre. A medical station treated people with minor injuries and a psychological support team was also on hand, the Civil Protection authority said .

Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva, on holiday in the area, visited the beach for a first-hand assessment of the situation.

Prime Minister José Socrates cleared his desk to travel to the scene and Interior Minister Rui Pereira was also due to join them.

The cause of the accident was not yet known, although the private TSF radio station said a notice on the beach warned visitors of the danger of falling rocks.