By Elsie Kamsiyochi
A tragic building collapse in the Philippines has left at least one person dead and more than 20 others missing, sparking a major rescue operation as emergency teams race against time to find survivors buried beneath the rubble.
The disaster occurred on Sunday in Angeles City, north of Manila, when a multi-storey building under construction suddenly gave way, sending tons of concrete and twisted steel crashing to the ground. Authorities confirmed that at least one person lost their life in the incident, while rescuers continue searching for 21 people who remain unaccounted for.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and launched an intensive search-and-rescue mission. Images from the disaster site showed firefighters and rescue workers carefully climbing unstable piles of broken concrete, bent metal, and shattered debris in hopes of locating survivors trapped underneath.
Officials said highly trained rescue dogs, heartbeat detection equipment, and heavy machinery were being used to search through the wreckage. The operation remains extremely delicate due to fears that unstable debris could collapse further and endanger rescue teams as they work.
Authorities later identified the deceased victim as a 65-year-old Malaysian national. His body was reportedly recovered from a nearby hotel that was also damaged by the collapse, highlighting the widespread impact of the disaster on surrounding buildings.
According to Maria Leah Sajili, an information officer with the regional Bureau of Fire Protection, five people have been confirmed trapped beneath the debris. Rescue teams have managed to establish communication with two of them, raising hopes that additional survivors may still be alive. However, the condition of the remaining trapped individuals remains unclear.
As the hours pass, officials say the rescue operation is becoming increasingly difficult. Darkness and unstable structural conditions are expected to complicate efforts, forcing teams to work cautiously through the night.
Meanwhile, authorities have launched an investigation into what caused the building to collapse. Preliminary findings revealed that the structure had been approved as a nine-storey condo-hotel project. However, officials disclosed that construction of a swimming pool was reportedly underway on an unauthorized 10th floor at the time of the collapse, raising concerns about whether structural violations may have contributed to the tragedy.
Residents and families of missing workers gathered near the site, anxiously waiting for updates as emergency crews continue their search. The collapse has shocked the local community and renewed concerns about construction safety standards in rapidly developing urban areas.
With rescue teams still working tirelessly, hopes remain that more survivors may be found beneath the rubble, even as authorities warn that time is running out in the search for those still missing.
Source Reuters
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