Rescuers in Sierra Leone are continuing their search for survivors after a seven-storey building collapsed in the capital, Freetown, resulting in at least eight deaths.
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) of the West African country reported that six people have been rescued from the rubble on Shell New Road so far, but “more people remain trapped.”
Some individuals trapped in the debris have been able to communicate their locations to the rescuers.
The collapse occurred between 11:00 and 12:00 local time (12:00 and 13:00 BST) on Monday, according to the NDMA. Among the victims are two girls and a boy, all under the age of five.
Two cranes have been deployed to assist the rescue teams, who were initially seen using picks and their bare hands to clear the wreckage.
Local resident Mohamed Camara, who was seen crying as he spoke to AFP, revealed that his wife and three children are trapped in the debris.
The cause of the collapse is under investigation.
Initial assessments by the NDMA indicate that the building was used for both residential and commercial purposes.
The agency’s head Brima Sesay stressed the need to raise “public awareness about the risks associated with using unqualified contractors and substandard building materials”.
He also said his agency “will continue conducting vulnerability assessments to help reduce the frequency of building collapses across the country”.
Sierra Leone is one of the world’s poorest countries, and buildings are often built with substandard materials.