Death toll rises in Pakistan building collapse

Rescue workers at the site of building collapse in Karachi, Pakistan
Rescuers are searching for at least eight more survivors in the rubble of a building in Pakistan. -AP

The death toll from a collapsed multistory residential building in southern Pakistan has risen to 16 as search operations to find survivors continue for a second day.

Rescuers pulled 10 more bodies from the rubble during an overnight operation, officials said on Saturday.

The government-run Civil Hospital said it had received the 16 bodies, adding several of the injured had been hospitalised. 

Rescue workers are using heavy machinery to search for at least eight more survivors believed to be trapped under the debris, according to local media and emergency officials.

Residents said the building was on a narrow street, hampering efforts to bring in additional heavy equipment. 

Television footage showed rescuers removing debris as relatives of those still trapped cried and prayed for the safety of their loved ones.

Building collapses are common in Pakistan, where construction standards are often poorly enforced. 

Many structures are built with substandard materials, and safety regulations are frequently ignored to cut costs.

In June 2020, an apartment building collapsed in Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province, killing 22 people.