Death Toll Climbs to 23 in South African Building Collapse

The death toll from a building collapse in George, South Africa has risen to 23, according to municipal authorities. Search and rescue efforts continue at the disaster site, a week after the accident.

The collapsed building, approved for construction last July, was intended to be a 42-unit apartment block. It tragically came down on Monday shortly after 2:00 pm local time. 

While a glimmer of hope emerged with the rescue of a man trapped for 116 hours on Saturday, many remain missing. 

Authorities estimate around 75 construction workers were on site at the time of the collapse. 15 injured individuals are currently hospitalized.

Unconfirmed reports suggest a significant number of the construction crew were foreign nationals. 

The South African government has stated they will be contacting the diplomatic missions of Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique to investigate these claims.

An investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing. The country’s Public Works Minister is expected to visit the scene today.

Additional source: Africanews