The total number of deceased persons recovered from the collapsed building in George has increased to 30, as of 6pm today.
According to the George Municipality, rescue and recovery efforts continue a week after the incident occurred at 75 Victoria Street, where a partially-built building collapsed.
Also read: Death toll rises to 21 after building collapsed in George
Rescue workers and other role players have been on site for 172 hours.
The confirmed statistics for the incident are:
- Total estimated individuals on-site when the incident occurred: 81
- Rescued and recovered: 59
- Of which deceased: 30
- Currently hospitalised: 13
- Unaccounted for: 22
Residents observed a moment of silence at precisely 2:09pm today (the time that the incident occurred) to honour those who passed in the collapse.
In a Facebook post, the George Municipality reiterated that the primary focus remains on rescue efforts. Plans to expedite the identification of the deceased are also being set up. This will be coordinated by the Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The municipality further stated that it is ‘experiencing difficulties’ in obtaining accurate names of individuals missing or deceased. ‘We urgently request families who have lost contact with their loved ones to come to the George Civic Centre in York Street.
‘This will enable the Department of Social Development to collect detailed and precise information, ensuring that all records are accurately documented,’ the municipality said.
It added that the Joint District Operations Centre follows a stringent double-verification protocol, which involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services.
The municipality also urgently calls for professional psychosocial support practitioners proficient in Chewa, Portuguese, and Shona languages to assist survivors and their families.
Those interested in helping can contact Kholiswa Jobela at 078 210 5972 or Apolus Swart at 061 504 4205.
Also read:
Day 7 update: Death toll rises to 15, miracle survivor expresses gratitude
Picture: George Municipality / Facebook