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Kenya flooding: Search for building collapse victims | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Rescuers in the Kenyan capital Nairobi are searching for dozens of people feared trapped after the collapse of a six-storey building in heavy rain. | |
TV coverage from the scene showed a crowd gathering at the Huruma residential estate as rescuers dug for survivors. At least three people are known to have died. | |
The Red Cross criticised "chaotic scenes" as rescuers arrived. | |
It is unclear how many people are trapped beneath six floors of concrete. | |
The rainfall in addition has caused landslides, washed away houses and flooded roads. | |
The Huruma neighbourhood is a poor district on the outskirts of Nairobi made up of narrow streets, meaning firefighters struggled to get to the scene and were delayed by large crowds. | |
After some time, the army took charge of the rescue - with the help of the Kenyan Red Cross. | |
"We can still hear voices of people who are still inside," Red Cross spokesman Venant Ndigila said. | |
"[So far] we [have] managed again to rescue at least 12 people - and there are signs that there are still some people who are still alive." | |
Residents said that the building shook violently in the rain before collapsing. | |
Poor building standards are a fact of life in Kenya, correspondents say. A survey carried out last year found that more than half the buildings in the capital were unfit for habitation. | |
The high demand for housing in Nairobi has led to some property developers bypassing building regulations to reduce costs and increase profits. | |
There has however been some good news for the rescuers who extracted a number of children from the wreckage throughout Friday. | |
President Uhuru Kenyatta last year ordered an audit of all the buildings in the country after a spate of collapses. | President Uhuru Kenyatta last year ordered an audit of all the buildings in the country after a spate of collapses. |
Meanwhile two boys are missing in another part of the flood-hit country after going herding, according to the Red Cross. |