1st LD Writethru: Death toll from building collapse in Kenya rises to 33

Kenya's rescuers have pulled out seven more bodies from the debris in a collapsed residential building in Nairobi's Huruma estate, bringing the death toll to 33 on Thursday.

The National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) Incident Commander Pius Masai said five bodies were retrieved on Wednesday and two on Thursday morning.

Residents said on Thursday the search and rescue exercise has been slowed down by the low turn-out of relatives as over 80 people are still missing following last week's building collapse after heavy rainfall.

Masai said the rescue operations might take a longer as the structure was built haphazardly. "We are also hampered by the lack of accessibility to the area," he said.

"Right now we are not sure which floor we are in. The debris is too weak and we are trying our best to ensure that no one is injured during the rescue operations," Masai added.

Residents said owners and developers of such structures regularly use court orders to block Nairobi County from pulling down structures earmarked for demolition.

On Tuesday, the rescue teams at the site saved a 6-month old child who was found inside a bucket while wrapped in a blanket. The child was emaciated hence was rushed to the Kenyatta National Hospital and has since been stabilising.

Kenya Red Cross Society said on Wednesday that nine rabbits were retrieved alive in a spectacle that was described as a sign of hope in finding more lives under the rubble.

According to rescuers, two floors sank into the ground and people are still feared trapped inside the building which collapsed following heavy rains that have been pounding Nairobi and its environs. Endit