Rescue efforts were extended to five days in the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam, officials said on Tuesday, following the collapse of a four-storey building in the city that claimed 16 lives and injured over 80 people.
So far, 86 people have been rescued, with operations ongoing to locate others still trapped under the rubble in the bustling district of Kariakoo, chief government spokesperson Thobias Makoba told reporters at the scene, adding that one person was rescued the previous night and another on Tuesday morning.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, attending an ongoing summit of the G20 in Brazil, extended the rescue timeline by 24 hours past the three-day deadline, hoping for the rescue of more possible survivors.
"I am instructing you not to end the rescue operations but to extend it by an extra 24 hours to continue the fight for our brothers and sisters, whom we believe are still alive," Hassan added, praising rescue workers and volunteers at the site.
Safety concerns
Makoba said rescue workers were working with caution to prevent further collapse. "Rescuers are using a three-centimeter hole to supply oxygen and communicate with those trapped," he explained.
Meanwhile, two individuals, including radio personality Gissele Malinzi and socialite Jenifer Jovin, have been arrested for unauthorised fundraising linked to the tragedy. An investigation into the matter is ongoing.
This incident highlights safety concerns in one of East Africa’s busiest commercial hubs.
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