5 Dead, 49 Missing in George Building Collapse
A terrible tragedy unfolded in South Africa on Monday afternoon as a multi-story apartment building under construction in the city of George, located roughly 400 kilometers east of Cape Town, suddenly collapsed.
Rescue teams have been working tirelessly for over 12 hours, searching through the rubble for survivors.
As of Tuesday morning, the confirmed death toll has risen to five. The fate of 49 construction workers remains unknown, with hope dwindling as they are buried beneath the collapsed structure.
A glimmer of hope emerged when rescuers managed to make contact with 11 trapped workers. However, extracting them is proving to be a monumental task due to the immense amount of debris.
Emergency services have thrown their full weight behind the rescue operation. Over 100 personnel are on the scene, utilizing sniffer dogs, heavy machinery, and powerful spotlights to continue searching through the night.
Authorities are also offering support to the families who anxiously await news of their loved ones.
The cause of the collapse remains shrouded in mystery. Police have opened a case to investigate the incident, but no immediate explanation has been provided for the building’s sudden failure.
CCTV footage captured the horrifying scene as the concrete structure and surrounding metal scaffolding came crashing down, sending a plume of dust billowing into the sky.
This is a developing situation, and updates are expected as the rescue operation continues.
Additional source: AfricaNews
