Pakistan: Death Toll in Karachi Building Collapse Rises to 17

Karachi — The death toll from the collapse of a five-storey residential building in Karachi's Lyari area has climbed to 17 as more bodies were recovered from the rubble, Pakistani authorities confirmed on Saturday.

Rescue teams have managed to pull out nine survivors so far, though officials fear that at least 25 to 30 people may still be trapped beneath the debris, according to The Express Tribune.

The building, which housed six families, collapsed early Friday morning. Among the deceased are three women and a child.

The incident has sparked panic and grief in Karachi, Pakistan's southern port city, where numerous structures have been declared unsafe for habitation.

Authorities revealed that the decades-old building, located in Lyari's densely populated Baghdadi area, had been declared dangerous three years ago. Despite this, residents remained in the building, and officials failed to enforce evacuation orders. Reports indicate that each floor contained three apartments.

Karachi South Deputy Commissioner Javed Khoso told The Express Tribune that residents of the building were served eviction notices in 2022, 2023, and again in 2024. He further stated that out of 107 dangerous buildings in the district, 21 are classified as highly hazardous, and 14 of those have already been vacated.

As rescue efforts continue into their second day, Khoso informed Geo News on Saturday that it could take another eight to ten hours to complete the operation.

He also noted that 22 extremely dangerous buildings remain in Lyari, with 16 already evacuated.

Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi has urged residents of unsafe buildings to relocate immediately to prevent further tragedies.

“We cannot forcibly evict people,” Naqvi told Geo News, adding that he plans to meet with officials from the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to address the ongoing issue of illegal constructions in the city.

With inputs from IANS