简体中文
The death toll from the residential building's collapse in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi has risen to 18 as rescue workers pulled out eight bodies from the rubble since Thursday night, officials said Friday.
A five-storey building collapsed Thursday afternoon in Rizvia Cooperative Housing Society in Karachi, the provincial capital of south Sindh province, and buried dozens of people.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Karachi Central District Arif Aslam Rao told local media that the search and rescue operation continued the whole night and is still on as it is feared that there are more people trapped under the debris.
"The search and rescue operations will not end till the last piece of rubble is removed," the official said, adding that they hope to finish the rescue operation by tonight.
Confirming the death toll, Sohail Khan, a medico-legal officer at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, told Xinhua that seven women and three children were among the deceased, while at least 36 others were injured and being treated at the hospital.
Rescue officials said that the operations have been slowed down because the streets are narrow and highly congested, adding that they also have to be very careful in removing the rubble as they believe nearby buildings may also collapse.
A few other buildings in the area have been vacated by the local authorities to prevent any further loss of life.
Additional Director of Sindh Building Control Authority Ashkar Daud told local media that the collapsed building was illegally constructed, and a strict action will be taken against those officials involved in illegally issuing of license for the construction of buildings.
