Karachi, August 02: Authorities say rescue crews have pulled the bodies of two more women from the rubble of a collapsed five-story building in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, bringing the death toll to 23.
Almost all the victims are women and children. Chief Fire Officer Ehtisham Uddin says the rescue operation was called off Sunday because all residents of the building have been accounted for.
He says crews are working to remove the rubble. The building collapsed late Friday in the congested downtown Lea Market neighborhood. Mayor Mohammad Dilawar said Saturday the building apparently was weakened by heavy monsoon rains. Karachi, a city of more than 16 million people, has an aging infrastructure and a poor drainage system.
–Agencies–