Urgent Rescue Efforts Underway After Building Collapse in George, South Africa

George, South Africa - Rescue teams in George, a southern coastal city in South Africa, are engaged in a desperate race against time to locate 42 individuals reported missing following the collapse of a five-story apartment building under construction.

The incident, which occurred on Monday, has already resulted in the confirmed deaths of seven people, with at least 33 others rescued from the debris.

Early Tuesday, rescuers received responses from 11 survivors still trapped within the ruins, including four individuals in the basement.

Efforts to reach and safely extract these survivors are ongoing, and the conditions of those not yet rescued remain uncertain.

The collapse's cause is currently under investigation. At the site, a dedicated team of emergency workers is meticulously working in shifts, removing concrete blocks and debris by hand to carefully navigate the precarious ruins.

Moments of silence are periodically called by the team leader, heightening attention to any sounds from survivors, although not all pauses have led to a rescue.

Colin Deiner, the chief director for disaster management, explained the complexity of the rescue efforts:

"They will then begin a process of lifting the different floors off each other. There is a possibility people could still be alive," he noted, indicating the ongoing hope in the rescue operation expected to last between four and five days.

The majority of the construction workers, estimated to be around 75, are still unaccounted for, making the rescue operation both urgent and delicate.

Overnight, more than 200 rescuers, supported by sniffer dogs and heavy lifting equipment, worked tirelessly at the scene.

The catastrophe has drawn national attention, with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressing his condolences and emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to bring closure to the community and prevent future incidents.

The city's mayor, Ald Van Wyk, also extended his sympathies to the families affected and all those anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones.

Local footage captured a massive cloud of dust at the moment of the collapse, and the area has since been cordoned off, though many locals remain nearby in shock and disbelief. Photos from the scene show a completely flattened construction site, highlighting the scale of the disaster and the challenging task facing rescuers.