Five individuals were reported dead, and 49 remained missing after a multi-storey building collapsed in George, South Africa, as per CNN citing officials. The incident occurred on Monday, prompting ongoing rescue efforts.
Since the collapse around 2 pm local time, approximately 26 people have been rescued, according to a statement from George Municipality. The statement noted that three rescue teams are actively working on different areas within the site.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed condolences, stating his thoughts are with the affected families. He emphasized the need for an investigation to understand the cause of the collapse, aiming to provide closure to the community and prevent similar disasters from occurring again.
Ramaphosa’s office issued a statement on Tuesday, calling for an investigation into the incident to prevent future disasters and provide closure to the community.