Flowers have been placed at the site of the collapsed multi-storey building at 75 Victoria Street in George in honour of the workers who died in the tragedy. Rescue workers and other role-players have been on site for 220 hours. In the process, they have rescued and recovered 62 people, 33 were confirmed dead while 19 remain unaccounted for. Picture: Chevon Booysen
As families anxiously await to be reunited with those rescued from the George multi-storey collapsed building, President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit the disaster and crime scene on Thursday where 33 people have so far perished.
By Wednesday, 62 people were rescued and recovered, of whom 33 were deceased. Among the dead are 27 men and six women. Twelve people are currently hospitalised while 19 others are unaccounted for.
On the day of the tragedy, May 6, the building collapsed with 81 people reportedly on site.
By Wednesday a number of families had been reunited with their loved ones after they were rescued from the site and received medical treatment.
Since the incident, the government and its disaster management agencies at all levels have mobilised personnel and resources towards the rescue efforts and are providing support to the survivors and families of the deceased.
Ramaphosa is expected to visit the families of the victims at the municipal building where they are being housed while they await news of their relatives and receive further support.
“President Ramaphosa remains deeply attentive to the rescue and recovery efforts under way and has expressed his deep condolences to the family and friends of the deceased workers,” the Presidency said.
@capetimessa In a recent update, the George Municipality has confirmed that 47 victims have been reunited with their families. #georgebuildingcollapse #newsupdate 📹 @Chevon Booysen and @Ayanda ♬ Breaking News Background Music (Basic A)(1001538) - LEOPARD
“Ahead of President Ramaphosa’s visit, ministers and deputy ministers in the departments of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Employment and Labour, Health, Police, International Relations and Co-operation, and Public Works and Infrastructure have visited the site.”
Meanwhile, the Garden Route Joint Operations Centre (JOC) and George Municipality confirmed that families of the victims would receive support services from the Department of Social Development for the next six months.
The JOC said: “The Western Cape Department of Social Development has indicated that a comprehensive range of services will continue to be made available to the affected families for a minimum of six months.”
"The JOC's adherence to a stringent double verification protocol is crucial for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of reported numbers of the deceased, which is essential in emergency and disaster response scenarios.
@capetimessa Day 10 at the collapsed George multi-storey building where search and rescue efforts continue. President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to visit the site today and meet with the families of victims who survived and perished in the fatal incident. The building collapsed on May 6 where 81 people are reported to have been on-site.#georgebuildingcollapse #newsupdate @Chevon Booysen @Ayanda ♬ News - ComaStudio
"This verification process involves cross-referencing information from multiple reliable sources, such as recovery teams, hospitals, and forensic services," the JOC added.
Cape Times
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