SAO PAULO July 8 (UNA): An apartment building collapsed in northeastern Brazil Friday, leaving at least eight people dead and five missing, according to officials, as rescue workers scavenged through rubble in a frantic search for survivors.
Reuters reported that two children, an 8-year-old and a 5-year-old, were included in the list of victims.
But four more had been pulled out alive, according to civil defense officials, as of 9:30 pm (0030 GMT) Friday night.
The residential building is located in the state of Pernambuco in northeastern Brazil, in the Ganja neighborhood on the outskirts of Recife, the state capital.
Drone footage captured by Reuters showed the four-storey building reduced to rubble as firefighters and rescue workers rushed across the site.
Officials said the building collapse occurred early Friday morning at around 6:35 a.m., when many residents were likely still asleep. It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse.
Recife, a port city of about 1.5 million people, has been struggling with torrential rains in recent days.
The city and the surrounding metropolitan area were placed under a “state of concern” declaration earlier Friday, intended to spur emergency workers to take swift action.
Pernambuco Governor Raquel Llera warned earlier in the day that more rain is expected, recommending that local residents make sure they have access to safe buildings.
Rial
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