Death toll in George building collapse rises to 13 as rescue operation passes 115-hour mark

The death toll in the George building collapse has risen to 13 with 40 people still unaccounted for.

Day five of the rescue operations at the collapsed building site in Victoria Street were under way on Saturday.

The Garden Route Municipality said the multi-agency command continued to use a systematic rescue and recovery technique, meticulously clearing rubble to uncover potential open spaces where people could be trapped.

According to the municipality, by 9am on Saturday rescue operations had been under way for 115 hours.

“The joint district operations centre adheres to a rigorous double verification protocol in reporting rescue and recovery numbers, collaborating closely with recovery teams, hospitals and forensic services.

“In our ongoing efforts to support survivors and families, we issue a call for professional psychosocial support practitioners proficient in Chewa, Portuguese and Shona languages. Practitioners can reach out to Kholiswa Jobela at 078 210 5972 or Apolus Swart at 061 504 4205,” it said.

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