The collapse of the building in Pakistan kills at least 16 as search and rescue operations continue

The death tolls of a collapsed residential building in southern Pakistan rose to 16 as the search operations to find survivors continued for the second day.

Six people were found dead after the building collapsed on Friday. The rescuers took 10 more bodies of the rubble during a night operation, authorities said on Saturday.

The Civil Hospital led by the Government said in a statement that he had received the 16 bodies, adding that several of the injured had been hospitalized.

Rescue workers are using heavy machinery to look for at least eight survivors that are believed to be trapped under the rubble, according to local media and emergency officials.

Residents said the building was located on a narrow street, which hinders efforts to attract additional heavy equipment. The television images showed rescuers eliminating the debris while the relatives of those who were still trapped cried and prayed for the safety of their loved ones.

Construction collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards often apply badly. Many structures are built with lower quality materials, and safety regulations are often ignored to reduce costs.

In June 2020, an apartment building collapsed in Karachi, the capital of the province of southern Sindh, killing 22 people.

• Building collapse
• Pakistan