Death toll in Cameroon building collapse rises to 37

News - Posted date: 09:30, July 25, 2023

According to the latest update from Cameroonian authorities released on July 24, the number of victims killed in the house collapse in Douala City that occurred the day before has reached 37 people and 21 people were injured.

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Rescue workers search for bodies and possible survivors in the rubble.

Douala city officials said it was one of the worst tragedies in Cameroon's history, warning that the death toll could rise amid fears that many people were trapped in the rubble.

Cameroon's Minister of Urban Development Celestine Ketcha-Courtes visited the scene on July 24 to inspect the rescue work. Rescue teams are currently digging through the rubble to search for missing people.

In 2016, a similar building collapsed in Douala, killing five people. Authorities at the time blamed construction and repair violations that had led to substandard construction. In June of that year, officials identified 500 buildings in the area as being at risk of collapse.

According to VNA