Death Toll from Building Collapse in Pakistan Rises

(MENAFN) The number of fatalities from the collapse of a deteriorating residential structure in Pakistan’s southern coastal metropolis of Karachi has risen to 27, as rescue workers wrapped up a multi-day search and recovery mission, officials confirmed on Sunday.

Scores of individuals were buried beneath the debris when a five-story structure gave way in Lyari, an impoverished district along the Arabian Sea, on Friday.

Rescue teams discovered one more body on Sunday, increasing the total number of deaths to 27. Two people remain hospitalized, one of whom is in critical condition, according to Dr. Summaiya Syed, the Karachi police surgeon, in a statement to a news agency.

In addition, more than a dozen individuals suffered minor wounds during the incident.
Officials reported that the search and rescue phase has ended, and efforts are now focused on clearing the debris from the site.

Preliminary findings indicate that the building, which was initially constructed with three floors, was marked as unfit for residence back in 2022.

However, instead of vacating the premises, the owner added two extra stories, allegedly in collusion with local construction regulatory bodies.

Karachi, known as the nation's economic hub and home to over 20 million residents, contains hundreds of aging structures that have suffered from years of deterioration and persistent oversight failures.

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