Rescue efforts continue in George, South Africa, after a five-story under-construction apartment building collapsed on Monday. At least five people are confirmed dead, with over 50 still missing.
A glimmer of hope emerged on Tuesday as rescuers made contact with 11 survivors trapped under the debris. “We are in contact with 11 people, four of them are trapped in a basement,” said Colin Deiner, chief director for disaster management.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation. Haunting video footage captures the devastating scene – a massive dust cloud engulfing the site as the building crumbles.
Rescue operations are painstakingly slow. Workers meticulously remove concrete blocks and debris by hand, their efforts punctuated by moments of tense silence as they listen for signs of life. Sadly, some of these pauses prove to be false alarms.
The fate of the majority of construction workers who were on-site remains unknown. “They will then begin a process of lifting the different floors off each other,” Deiner explained, “There is a possibility people could still be alive.”
Tragically, two individuals pulled from the wreckage succumbed to their injuries, bringing the confirmed death toll to three. Medics later reported another three fatalities.
The collapse site has been cordoned off, but the perimeter remains crowded with onlookers, their faces etched with shock and disbelief.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and called for a swift investigation “to bring closure to the community and prevent a repeat of this disaster.”
City Mayor Ald Van Wyk echoed the President’s sentiments, offering his condolences to the affected families as they wait anxiously for news of their loved ones.
Over 100 rescuers, aided by sniffer dogs and heavy lifting equipment, tirelessly searched for survivors throughout the night.
Officials managed to establish contact with some individuals trapped under the rubble. Estimates suggest at least 75 workers were present when the building collapsed.
Images of the aftermath are heartbreaking – a flattened construction site with fragments of the building’s roof buried beneath the debris. “I saw one guy working and then ‘boom’ and I saw the whole building collapsed… I’m also traumatised. It is very sad,” said a local councillor, Theresa Jeyi, reflecting the profound impact of this tragedy.
