Devastating Collapse in South Africa: 49 Missing as Rescue Teams Search for Survivors

A multi-story apartment complex in South Africa collapsed on Monday, trapping dozens of construction workers beneath the rubble. Rescue teams have made contact with 11 survivors, but 37 others remain missing. The death toll currently stands at six, with fears that the number could rise significantly. Search and rescue operations are expected to take at least three days as efforts continue to locate survivors and bring them to safety.

Rescue teams in South Africa are racing against time to find dozens of construction workers still buried alive under the wreckage of a collapsed apartment complex. The five-story building crumbled on Monday in the coastal city of George, leaving behind a shattered scene of concrete slabs and mangled metal scaffolding.

As of Tuesday, authorities have confirmed the deaths of six workers, while 49 others remain unaccounted for. Rescue teams have made contact with 11 individuals trapped beneath the rubble, including one man who managed to call his wife from the wreckage.

"The search-and-rescue operation could take at least three days," said Colin Deiner, head of the provincial Western Cape disaster management services. "We are going to give it the absolute maximum time to see how many people we can rescue."

The rescue effort involves over 100 emergency personnel, including sniffer dogs, heavy lifting equipment, and a specialized team trained in collapsed structure rescues. They are working tirelessly to remove layers of concrete and search for survivors.

"Our big concern is entrapment for many hours, when a person's body parts are compressed," Deiner said. "So, you need to get medical help to them. We got our medics in as soon as we possibly could."

Emergency workers have created a critical part of the rescue operation by ordering silence and shutting off machinery to listen for any survivors. This method enabled them to locate the 11 workers who are now in contact with rescuers.

Several local hospitals are preparing their trauma units in anticipation of receiving more injured construction workers. Over 50 additional emergency responders have been brought in from other areas to assist with the rescue effort.

Family and friends of the missing workers have gathered at nearby municipal offices, where they are receiving support from social workers. Authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the cause of the collapse, but no information has been released yet.

"All the necessary support has been offered to emergency personnel to expedite their response. At the moment, officials are focused on saving lives. This is our top priority at this stage," said Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape province.

The national government is being briefed on the rescue operation, and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. The search continues with relentless effort, as rescue teams strive to locate and bring the missing workers to safety.