Relatives of 44 construction workers trapped under a collapsed building in the South African town of George endured a fourth day of agonizing waiting on Thursday, as heavy machinery worked at the site in a race against time to find their loved ones. possible survivors.
Of the 81 people who were at the site when the five-story building collapsed on Monday, eight were confirmed dead and 29 alive, with 16 of them in critical condition, according to the latest figures from the municipality by George.
The identities of the missing have not been made public, but a list of names is circulating among groups of relatives who have gathered at the site since Monday, desperately seeking news of their loved ones, state broadcaster SABC reported .
An earth-moving machine was seen removing broken concrete slabs from the collapsed building, which was left a chaotic jumble of masonry and twisted metal frames. Sniffer dogs were brought in to search the site.
This tragedy sparked an outpouring of solidarity in George: local businesses provided equipment and volunteers set up coffee stands for waiting relatives and rescuers.
Rescue teams heard trapped survivors, a disaster management official said Tuesday, but there have been no further updates on the matter since then.
The causes of the collapse have not yet been established. President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an investigation.
