An ongoing rescue effort is underway in South Africa following the collapse of a five-storey building under construction.
Tragically, two individuals lost their lives, and 53 others are currently trapped.
Authorities in George, situated in the Western Cape province, report that 22 individuals have been rescued from the rubble and transported to medical facilities.
At the time of the collapse on Monday, there were 75 crew members on the site.
The cause of the incident in this coastal city is under investigation.
According to Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, the building collapsed at 14:09 local time (12:09 GMT).
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“Seventy-five members of construction crew have been confirmed on site at that time of the incident,” he added.
Emergency responders were observed hurrying to the location to locate survivors in the city situated 450 kilometers (279 miles) east of Cape Town.
Among the 22 individuals rescued from the wreckage, two succumbed to their injuries later on.
“Our thoughts are with the families and all those affected who continue to wait for word of their loved ones,” said George Mayor Ald Van Wyk.
Officials report successful contact with some trapped individuals, and they’ve deployed heavy lifting equipment and sniffer dogs to aid the rescue efforts.
Recent images reveal a construction site completely flattened, with sections of the building’s roof scattered amidst the debris.
“I saw one guy was working and then ‘boom’ and I saw the whole building collapsed… I’m also traumatised. It is very sad,” local councillor Theresa Jeyi was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency.
(BBC)
