Iraq only has a few remaining heritage sites left. Among these is the Ezekiel Synagogue which is at the risk of collapsing at present as restoration work is yet to begin.

Ezekiel Synagogue at the risk of collapsing, restoration work is yet to begin

In an unfortunate incident, a two-lane bridge collapsed in the US city of Pittsburgh with six vehicles including a bus on it.

A two-lane bridge collapse in US' Pittsburgh causes gas leak

Hospitals in Peru are running at full capacity and fear collapse as COVID-19 cases surge amid the third wave.

Hospitals in Peru near collapse as COVID-19 cases surge amid the third wave

In a tragic incident, around seven people have been killed and nine seriously hurt after a wall of rock fell on motor boats below a waterfall in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, the fire department said. &nbsp;

The incident happened when a tower of rocks suddenly broke away from the canyon wall and came down on many leisure boats in the area. It triggered a massive wave in the lake at Capitolio, in Minas Gerais state. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mounting-health-crisis-after-super-typhoon-nine-dead-hundreds-ill-with-diarrhoea-in-philippines-443261" hreflang="en">Mounting health crisis after super typhoon: Nine dead, hundreds ill with diarrhoea in Philippines</a>

In the videos posted on social media, tourists can be seen shouting as the column of rock comes down crashing into the water and smashes two boats. &nbsp;

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5 dead, 30 injured &amp; 20 missing. This happened in Brazil today 
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According to the authorities, three people are still missing at a time when others feared lost were located by telephone. The divers have searched the lake for the victims. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/to-provide-comfort-us-president-visits-wildfire-ravaged-colorado-443068" hreflang="en">To provide comfort, US President visits wildfire-ravaged Colorado</a>

In the persons injured, one was in serious condition in hospital with head and facial injuries and around 23 others were also treated for light injuries. Some people have suffered broken bones. &nbsp;

For two weeks, the region has been witnessing heavy rainfall. It could have been the reason behind the loosening of the rock face. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a tragic incident, around seven people have been killed and nine seriously hurt after a wall of rock fell on motor boats below a waterfall in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, the fire department said.

In a tragic incident, around seven people have been killed and nine seriously hurt after a wall of rock fell on motor boats below a waterfall in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, the fire department said. The incident happened when a tower of rocks suddenly broke away from the canyon wall and came down on many leisure boats in the area. It triggered a massive wave in the lake at Capitolio, in Minas Gerais state. Also Read | Mounting health crisis after super typhoon: Nine dead, hundreds ill with diarrhoea in Philippines In the videos posted on social media, tourists can be seen shouting as the column of rock comes down crashing into the water and smashes two boats. 5 dead, 30 injured & 20 missing. This happened in Brazil today . pic.twitter.com/livcrVDila — KEEM 🍿 (@KEEMSTAR) January 8, 2022 × According to the authorities, three people are still missing at a time when others feared lost were located by telephone. The divers have searched the lake for the victims. Also Read: To provide comfort, US President visits wildfire-ravaged Colorado In the persons injured, one was in serious condition in hospital with head and facial injuries and around 23 others were also treated for light injuries. Some people have suffered broken bones. For two weeks, the region has been witnessing heavy rainfall. It could have been the reason behind the loosening of the rock face. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: In rock face collapse at waterfall, 7 killed, 9 seriously hurt, 3 still missing in Brazil 

At least six people were killed after an Amazon warehouse collapsed in Edwardsville, Illinois. This has sparked concern among the staff members regarding phones being banned in the workplace. A total of 5 Amazon employees have said that they want access to information, including weather updates through their smartphones, reports Bloomberg.&nbsp;

Two of these employees work across the street from the building that collapsed.&nbsp;

One worker from the neighbouring facility said, "After these deaths, there is no way in hell I am relying on Amazon to keep me safe. If they institute the no cell phone policy, I am resigning."

The employees claim that phones can help them communicate with people and seek help in case of such emergencies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-tornado-in-us-updates-storm-hits-amazon-warehouse-in-us-nearly-100-people-trapped-inside-436065">Also read |&nbsp;Storm hits Amazon warehouse in US; Nearly 100 people trapped inside</a>

For years, Amazon had prohibited workers from carrying their phones at warehouses. Even though the company backed off from the policy during the pandemic, it has been gradually reintroducing it.

As of now, Amazon has declined to address these concerns raised by the workers. The company says that its current focus is “on assisting the brave first responders on the scene and supporting our affected employees and partners in the area."

Describing it as a "mass casualty incident," the Collinsville Emergency Management Agency worked through the early hours of Saturday to rescue employees trapped at the facility.

In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said "the safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now. We're assessing the situation and will share additional information when it's available."

(With inputs from agencies)

At least six people were killed after an Amazon warehouse collapsed in Edwardsville, Illinois. This has sparked concern among the staff members regarding phones being banned in the workplace.

At least six people were killed after an Amazon warehouse collapsed in Edwardsville, Illinois. This has sparked concern among the staff members regarding phones being banned in the workplace. A total of 5 Amazon employees have said that they want access to information, including weather updates through their smartphones, reports Bloomberg. Two of these employees work across the street from the building that collapsed. One worker from the neighbouring facility said, "After these deaths, there is no way in hell I am relying on Amazon to keep me safe. If they institute the no cell phone policy, I am resigning." The employees claim that phones can help them communicate with people and seek help in case of such emergencies. Also read | Storm hits Amazon warehouse in US; Nearly 100 people trapped inside For years, Amazon had prohibited workers from carrying their phones at warehouses. Even though the company backed off from the policy during the pandemic, it has been gradually reintroducing it. As of now, Amazon has declined to address these concerns raised by the workers. The company says that its current focus is “on assisting the brave first responders on the scene and supporting our affected employees and partners in the area." Describing it as a "mass casualty incident," the Collinsville Emergency Management Agency worked through the early hours of Saturday to rescue employees trapped at the facility. In a statement, Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said "the safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now. We're assessing the situation and will share additional information when it's available." (With inputs from agencies)

Collapse at Amazon warehouse sparks debate on phone ban; employees say they will quit

Collapse of an artisanal gold mine in Niger took lives of at least 18 people on Sunday, as per a local mayor who spoke about the tragedy on Monday (November 8).

The gold mine collapse took place in Maradi region in southern Niger, near the border with Nigeria. According to Adamou Guero, mayor of the commune of Dan Issa, the death toll is feared to rise.

Aboubacar Chaibou, Governor of Maradi region visited the site on Monday. He promised better working conditions for people at the site.

"We are with young people who are looking for work, they a looking to feed themselves, this strikes me as an official, for this reason we are going to analyse how to re-organise this operation and make sure that people work with dignity and equality, we will also look out for their safety," he added.

Artisanal miners often use old-fashioned and unregulated methods of digging, leading to frequent deadly accidents.

Increasing demand for metals and rising prices have triggered a boom in small-scale mining in poor countries around the world in recent years. The activity is common across much of West Africa.

(With inputs from agencies)

Collapse of an artisanal gold mine in Niger took lives of at least 18 people on Sunday, as per a local mayor who spoke about the tragedy on Monday (November 8). The gold mine collapse took place in Maradi region in southern Niger, near the border with Nigeria.

Collapse of an artisanal gold mine in Niger took lives of at least 18 people on Sunday, as per a local mayor who spoke about the tragedy on Monday (November 8). The gold mine collapse took place in Maradi region in southern Niger, near the border with Nigeria. According to Adamou Guero, mayor of the commune of Dan Issa, the death toll is feared to rise. Aboubacar Chaibou, Governor of Maradi region visited the site on Monday. He promised better working conditions for people at the site. "We are with young people who are looking for work, they a looking to feed themselves, this strikes me as an official, for this reason we are going to analyse how to re-organise this operation and make sure that people work with dignity and equality, we will also look out for their safety," he added. Artisanal miners often use old-fashioned and unregulated methods of digging, leading to frequent deadly accidents. Increasing demand for metals and rising prices have triggered a boom in small-scale mining in poor countries around the world in recent years. The activity is common across much of West Africa. (With inputs from agencies)

Niger: Collapse of artisanal gold mine kills at least 18

A high-rise building, under construction, collapsed in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos on Monday, killing at least four people with dozens more trapped inside.

A high-rise building, under construction, collapsed in Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos on Monday, killing at least four people with dozens more trapped inside. The building is located at off Alexander way, Gerrard Road in Ikoyi Lagos State. It is one of the more wealthy residential and business districts in Lagos, which happens to be the major commercial city of Africa's most populous nation. BREAKING: Several trapped, many feared dead as 21 storey building collapses in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria Footages: https://t.co/15Ouwk6Nod pic.twitter.com/Z0Pqmm7eu0 — Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) November 1, 2021 × Officials have been unable to confirm how many people were trapped, but workers and neighbours continued to dig people out of the rubble of the 25-floor building, AFP reported. "It is a 25-storey building still under construction. Many workers are trapped under the rubble. We are trying to rescue them," said Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, an official with Lagos State emergency management agency. "We cannot say at this moment how many are dead. The rescue operation is ongoing." Workers at the site said that dozens of their colleagues could have been inside when the building collapsed.

Nigeria: At least 4 people killed as building collapses; people trapped

The collapse of the former Afghan government was not in the interest of the people and nation, said Taliban's Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Zabiullah Mujahid. &nbsp;

In a special interview with TOLOnews, the minister also said that whatever happened was not according to the organised plan. &nbsp; &nbsp;

If negotiations for peace had continued between the two Afghan sides and war had ended in the nation, the situation would have been better, said Mujahid. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/work-hard-taliban-to-offer-wheat-in-exchange-of-work-to-reduce-poverty-and-starvation-423598" hreflang="en">Taliban to offer wheat in exchange of work to reduce poverty and starvation</a>

“In my opinion, Afghanistan was damaged by it because if war had stopped and we reached a meaningful negotiation, the situation would have been better and different from now. And the result would have avoided the collapse of institutions and the fleeing of people from the country,” the minister said. &nbsp; &nbsp;

As the path for further discussion has remained open, changes could be expected in the cabinet, Mujahid said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The concerns of some countries regarding some individuals in the government are not acceptable. “We are reiterating again and again, the terms of inclusivity means something like this... If the aim is to include the people, we have already included various ethnicities in the current government, and they are part of the cabinet,” the Taliban minister said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taliban-hail-russian-presidents-plan-to-remove-the-group-from-terror-list-423690" hreflang="en">Taliban hail Russian President's plan to remove the group from terror list</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;

For withdrawing financial aid, the minister criticised the US. Mujahid said, the US&nbsp;is also encouraging other countries to withhold resources and not recognise the Taliban government.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We know that the (US) is behind it and it persuaded others not to recognise the Islamic Emirate as well,” Mujahid added. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The collapse of the former Afghan government was not in the interest of the people and nation, said Taliban's Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Zabiullah Mujahid.

The collapse of the former Afghan government was not in the interest of the people and nation, said Taliban's Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Zabiullah Mujahid. In a special interview with TOLOnews, the minister also said that whatever happened was not according to the organised plan. If negotiations for peace had continued between the two Afghan sides and war had ended in the nation, the situation would have been better, said Mujahid. Also Read: Taliban to offer wheat in exchange of work to reduce poverty and starvation “In my opinion, Afghanistan was damaged by it because if war had stopped and we reached a meaningful negotiation, the situation would have been better and different from now. And the result would have avoided the collapse of institutions and the fleeing of people from the country,” the minister said. As the path for further discussion has remained open, changes could be expected in the cabinet, Mujahid said. The concerns of some countries regarding some individuals in the government are not acceptable. “We are reiterating again and again, the terms of inclusivity means something like this... If the aim is to include the people, we have already included various ethnicities in the current government, and they are part of the cabinet,” the Taliban minister said. Also Read: Taliban hail Russian President's plan to remove the group from terror list For withdrawing financial aid, the minister criticised the US. Mujahid said, the US is also encouraging other countries to withhold resources and not recognise the Taliban government. “We know that the (US) is behind it and it persuaded others not to recognise the Islamic Emirate as well,” Mujahid added. (With inputs from agencies)

Former Afghan government’s collapse was not in nation’s interest, says Taliban's Minister Zabiullah Mujahid

In a recent development, a new study has revealed that New Zealand, Iceland, the UK, Tasmania and Ireland are the places best suited to survive a global collapse of society.

As per the researchers, human civilisation was “in a perilous state” because of the highly interconnected and energy-intensive society and the environmental damage that has been caused.

Published in the journal Sustainability, the study read, “The globe-spanning, energy-intensive industrial civilisation that characterises the modern era represents an anomalous situation when it is considered against the majority of human history.”

In a bid to assess which nations would be most resilient to a collapse, countries were ranked as per their ability to grow food for their population, protect their borders from unwanted mass migration, and maintain an electrical grid and some manufacturing ability.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/samsung-reports-surge-in-profit-on-pandemic-led-demand-for-chips-401382">Also read |&nbsp;Samsung reports surge in profit on pandemic-led demand for chips</a>

When the conclusion was made, it was observed that the islands in temperate regions and mostly with low population densities came out on top.

As per the researchers, the study highlights the factors that nations need to improve so that they are able to increase resilience.&nbsp;

Prof Aled Jones, at the Global Sustainability Institute, at Anglia Ruskin University, was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "We weren’t surprised New Zealand was on our list". He added, "We chose that you had to be able to protect borders and places had to be temperate. So with hindsight it’s quite obvious that large islands with complex societies on them already [make up the list]".

“We were quite surprised the UK came out strongly. It is densely populated, has traditionally outsourced manufacturing, hasn’t been the quickest to develop renewable technology, and only produces 50 per cent of its own food at the moment. But it has the potential to withstand shocks.”

In a recent development, a new study has revealed that New Zealand, Iceland, the UK, Tasmania and Ireland are the places best suited to survive a global collapse of society.

In a recent development, a new study has revealed that New Zealand, Iceland, the UK, Tasmania and Ireland are the places best suited to survive a global collapse of society. As per the researchers, human civilisation was “in a perilous state” because of the highly interconnected and energy-intensive society and the environmental damage that has been caused. Published in the journal Sustainability, the study read, “The globe-spanning, energy-intensive industrial civilisation that characterises the modern era represents an anomalous situation when it is considered against the majority of human history.” In a bid to assess which nations would be most resilient to a collapse, countries were ranked as per their ability to grow food for their population, protect their borders from unwanted mass migration, and maintain an electrical grid and some manufacturing ability. Also read | Samsung reports surge in profit on pandemic-led demand for chips When the conclusion was made, it was observed that the islands in temperate regions and mostly with low population densities came out on top. As per the researchers, the study highlights the factors that nations need to improve so that they are able to increase resilience. Prof Aled Jones, at the Global Sustainability Institute, at Anglia Ruskin University, was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "We weren’t surprised New Zealand was on our list". He added, "We chose that you had to be able to protect borders and places had to be temperate. So with hindsight it’s quite obvious that large islands with complex societies on them already [make up the list]". “We were quite surprised the UK came out strongly. It is densely populated, has traditionally outsourced manufacturing, hasn’t been the quickest to develop renewable technology, and only produces 50 per cent of its own food at the moment. But it has the potential to withstand shocks.”

Here is a list of the best places to survive amid a global societal collapse

More than four million people, including one million refugees, are at an immediate risk of losing access to safe water in Lebanon. With the rapidly escalating economic crisis, shortages of funding, fuel and supplies such as chlorine and spare parts,

UNICEF has estimated that most water pumping will gradually cease across the country in the next four to six weeks.

Yukie Mokuo, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, in a statement said, "The water sector is being squeezed to destruction by the current economic crisis in Lebanon, unable to function due to the dollarised maintenance costs, water loss caused by non-revenue water, the parallel collapse of the power grid and the threat of rising fuel costs".

"A loss of access to the public water supply could force households to make extremely difficult decisions regarding their basic water, sanitation and hygiene needs".

As per UNICEF, if the public water supply collapses, water costs could skyrocket by 200 per cent a month.

For Lebanon’s extremely vulnerable households, this cost will be too much to bear as it represents 263 per cent of the monthly average income.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-few-days-away-from-social-explosion-pm-diab-396317">Also read |&nbsp;Lebanon few days away from social explosion: PM Diab</a>

According to a UNICEF-supported assessment based on data collected by the country’s four main public water utility companies, more than 71 per cent of people fall within ‘highly critical’ and ‘critical’ levels of vulnerability. Also, nearly 1.7 million people have access to only 35 litres a day. This is a decrease of almost 80 per cent against the national average of 165 litres pre-2020.&nbsp;

Yukie Mokuo said, "At the height of the summer months, with COVID-19 cases beginning to rise again due to the Delta variant, Lebanon’s precious public water system is on life support and could collapse at any moment". She further added, "Unless urgent action is taken, hospitals, schools and essential public facilities will be unable to function and over four million people will be forced to resort to unsafe and costly sources of water, putting children’s health and hygiene at risk. The immediate adverse effect would be on public health. Hygiene would be compromised, and Lebanon would see an increase in diseases. Women and adolescent girls would face particular challenges to their personal hygiene, protection and dignity without access to safe sanitation”.

UNICEF needs a total of US$40 million a year to keep the water flowing to over four million people across the country. This can only be done by securing the minimum levels of fuel, chlorine, spare parts and maintenance required to keep critical systems operational.&nbsp;

More than four million people, including one million refugees, are at an immediate risk of losing access to safe water in Lebanon. With the rapidly escalating economic crisis, shortages of funding, fuel and supplies such as chlorine and spare parts, UNICEF has estimated that most water pumping will gradually cease across the country in the next four to six weeks.

More than four million people, including one million refugees, are at an immediate risk of losing access to safe water in Lebanon. With the rapidly escalating economic crisis, shortages of funding, fuel and supplies such as chlorine and spare parts, UNICEF has estimated that most water pumping will gradually cease across the country in the next four to six weeks. Yukie Mokuo, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, in a statement said, "The water sector is being squeezed to destruction by the current economic crisis in Lebanon, unable to function due to the dollarised maintenance costs, water loss caused by non-revenue water, the parallel collapse of the power grid and the threat of rising fuel costs". "A loss of access to the public water supply could force households to make extremely difficult decisions regarding their basic water, sanitation and hygiene needs". As per UNICEF, if the public water supply collapses, water costs could skyrocket by 200 per cent a month. For Lebanon’s extremely vulnerable households, this cost will be too much to bear as it represents 263 per cent of the monthly average income. Also read | Lebanon few days away from social explosion: PM Diab According to a UNICEF-supported assessment based on data collected by the country’s four main public water utility companies, more than 71 per cent of people fall within ‘highly critical’ and ‘critical’ levels of vulnerability. Also, nearly 1.7 million people have access to only 35 litres a day. This is a decrease of almost 80 per cent against the national average of 165 litres pre-2020. Yukie Mokuo said, "At the height of the summer months, with COVID-19 cases beginning to rise again due to the Delta variant, Lebanon’s precious public water system is on life support and could collapse at any moment". She further added, "Unless urgent action is taken, hospitals, schools and essential public facilities will be unable to function and over four million people will be forced to resort to unsafe and costly sources of water, putting children’s health and hygiene at risk. The immediate adverse effect would be on public health. Hygiene would be compromised, and Lebanon would see an increase in diseases. Women and adolescent girls would face particular challenges to their personal hygiene, protection and dignity without access to safe sanitation”. UNICEF needs a total of US$40 million a year to keep the water flowing to over four million people across the country. This can only be done by securing the minimum levels of fuel, chlorine, spare parts and maintenance required to keep critical systems operational.

Lebanon's public water system on the verge of collapse, warns UNICEF

The death toll in the partial collapse of a budget hotel in China's eastern city of Suzhou on Monday has risen to 17, state media said on Wednesday. 
 
Of the 23 people trapped in the rubble of the Siji Kaiyuan Hotel in Suzhou only six survived, according to state media. 
 
More than 650 people were involved in the search and rescue operation, which concluded on Wednesday morning. 
 
The provincial government of Jiangsu has set up a team to conduct an in-depth investigation on the specific causes of the collapse. 
 
The Siji Kaiyuan opened in 2018 and had a total of 54 rooms, according to online booking sites. The part of the hotel that collapsed was three storeys tall. 
 
According to some state media reports, the collapse was initially determined to be caused by the property owner`s alteration of the hotel structure. 
 
A hotel guest who checked out on Monday just before the collapsed spoke of loud drilling noises and the sound of the shovelling of sand, according toe Beijing Youth Daily. 
 
The building was shaking, the guest said. 
 
Cities in Jiangsu have since held an emergency meeting on the safety of existing building structures, and called for tougher inspection and supervision.

The death toll in the partial collapse of a budget hotel in China's eastern city of Suzhou on Monday has risen to 17, state media said on Wednesday. Of the 23 people trapped in the rubble of the Siji Kaiyuan Hotel in Suzhou only six survived, according to state media.

The death toll in the partial collapse of a budget hotel in China's eastern city of Suzhou on Monday has risen to 17, state media said on Wednesday. Of the 23 people trapped in the rubble of the Siji Kaiyuan Hotel in Suzhou only six survived, according to state media. More than 650 people were involved in the search and rescue operation, which concluded on Wednesday morning. The provincial government of Jiangsu has set up a team to conduct an in-depth investigation on the specific causes of the collapse. The Siji Kaiyuan opened in 2018 and had a total of 54 rooms, according to online booking sites. The part of the hotel that collapsed was three storeys tall. According to some state media reports, the collapse was initially determined to be caused by the property owner`s alteration of the hotel structure. A hotel guest who checked out on Monday just before the collapsed spoke of loud drilling noises and the sound of the shovelling of sand, according toe Beijing Youth Daily. The building was shaking, the guest said. Cities in Jiangsu have since held an emergency meeting on the safety of existing building structures, and called for tougher inspection and supervision.

Death toll rises to 17 in partial collapse of China hotel

Six more bodies have been found in the shattered ruins of a Miami-area condominium tower over the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday, bringing the confirmed death toll to 18 nearly a week after the building collapsed.

More bodies were found overnight in the shattered ruins of a collapsed building in a town near Miami,&nbsp;Florida.

Over 140 people are still unaccounted for nearly a week after the building fell in Surfside.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava briefed reporters on Wednesday.

"And I want to thank them once again for their tremendous, tremendous effort. The world is watching. Their bravery, putting themselves in harm's way to find people in the rubble."

Nobody has been pulled alive from the debris since the early hours of the disaster.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-jinping-hails-irreversible-rise-of-china-on-communist-party-centenary-395051">Also Read |&nbsp;President Jinping hails 'irreversible' rise of China on Communist Party centenary</a>

Trauma surgeon Michael Libirian has been at the site for nearly a week.

"I've been a trauma surgeon for around eleven years and this has been emotionally the most difficult thing I've ever had to endure. I think a lot of us, including myself, a lot of our task force members who I work with are separated from these missing people by only one or two degrees."

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett and other officials and rescuers still harbour hope of finding survivors.

That's even though the search has become more difficult from the heat and intermittent showers.

Miami Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief, Mark Chavers:

"The hope is there. Even if it's just one more. If it's five more, great. But one more, that would make all the difference in the world this late in the game."

Investigators still do not know what caused nearly half of the Champlain Towers South condo to crumple.

But a 2018 engineer's report found structural deficiencies in the 40-year-old tower.

President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill are expected to visit the scene of the tragedy on Thursday.

Six more bodies have been found in the shattered ruins of a Miami-area condominium tower over the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday, bringing the confirmed death toll to 18 nearly a week after the building collapsed.

Six more bodies have been found in the shattered ruins of a Miami-area condominium tower over the past 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday, bringing the confirmed death toll to 18 nearly a week after the building collapsed. More bodies were found overnight in the shattered ruins of a collapsed building in a town near Miami, Florida. Over 140 people are still unaccounted for nearly a week after the building fell in Surfside. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava briefed reporters on Wednesday. "And I want to thank them once again for their tremendous, tremendous effort. The world is watching. Their bravery, putting themselves in harm's way to find people in the rubble." Nobody has been pulled alive from the debris since the early hours of the disaster. Also Read | President Jinping hails 'irreversible' rise of China on Communist Party centenary Trauma surgeon Michael Libirian has been at the site for nearly a week. "I've been a trauma surgeon for around eleven years and this has been emotionally the most difficult thing I've ever had to endure. I think a lot of us, including myself, a lot of our task force members who I work with are separated from these missing people by only one or two degrees." Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett and other officials and rescuers still harbour hope of finding survivors. That's even though the search has become more difficult from the heat and intermittent showers. Miami Dade Fire Rescue Battalion Chief, Mark Chavers: "The hope is there. Even if it's just one more. If it's five more, great. But one more, that would make all the difference in the world this late in the game." Investigators still do not know what caused nearly half of the Champlain Towers South condo to crumple. But a 2018 engineer's report found structural deficiencies in the 40-year-old tower. President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill are expected to visit the scene of the tragedy on Thursday.

Death toll rises to 18 in Florida condo collapse

More than 100 people gathered for a beach vigil Monday night to commemorate victims and those still missing after last week’s condo collapse near Miami.

Family members, friends and residents sat cross-legged in the sand, holding glow-in-the-dark candle sticks and white roses as the sound of waves filled the air. People remained mostly silent as they grieved at the end of the fifth day of a harrowing search for survivors. Hopes have been dimming and frustration has built around the slow pace of rescue efforts.

A half-circle formed around Michelle Cash and her husband, Rich Gausman, who led a “sound healing” session on the beach behind the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club. “Hope” was spelled in the nearby sand with wet seaweed and candlesticks.

As the session went on, people wiped away tears. Others clasped their hands in prayer. A cool breeze offered reprieve from the sweltering heat.

“The pain, the suffering that has been going on in this community will never be understood. Days will pass, months will pass, America, the world will forget about this,” said Leo Soto, 26, who started a makeshift memorial wall near the collapse site. “We have to live through this. We’ll never forget about this.”

Naomi Romo and Alfredo Garcia of Miami brought three bouquets of flowers to the vigil. Romo was in the same graduating class as Nicky Langesfeld, who lived in Unit 804 and is among those missing. Although Romo said she did not know Langesfeld well, she often passed her in the hallway when they both attended Ronald W. Reagan Doral Senior High School.

“It’s a person that you grew up seeing. I’ve seen her since middle school,” said Romo, a 25-year-old therapist. “Everything has been a shock. I’m just here to give any kind of support that I can offer.”

More than 100 people gathered for a beach vigil Monday night to commemorate victims and those still missing after last week’s condo collapse near Miami. Family members, friends and residents sat cross-legged in the sand, holding glow-in-the-dark candle sticks and white roses as the sound of waves filled the air.

More than 100 people gathered for a beach vigil Monday night to commemorate victims and those still missing after last week’s condo collapse near Miami. Family members, friends and residents sat cross-legged in the sand, holding glow-in-the-dark candle sticks and white roses as the sound of waves filled the air. People remained mostly silent as they grieved at the end of the fifth day of a harrowing search for survivors. Hopes have been dimming and frustration has built around the slow pace of rescue efforts. A half-circle formed around Michelle Cash and her husband, Rich Gausman, who led a “sound healing” session on the beach behind the Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club. “Hope” was spelled in the nearby sand with wet seaweed and candlesticks. As the session went on, people wiped away tears. Others clasped their hands in prayer. A cool breeze offered reprieve from the sweltering heat. “The pain, the suffering that has been going on in this community will never be understood. Days will pass, months will pass, America, the world will forget about this,” said Leo Soto, 26, who started a makeshift memorial wall near the collapse site. “We have to live through this. We’ll never forget about this.” Naomi Romo and Alfredo Garcia of Miami brought three bouquets of flowers to the vigil. Romo was in the same graduating class as Nicky Langesfeld, who lived in Unit 804 and is among those missing. Although Romo said she did not know Langesfeld well, she often passed her in the hallway when they both attended Ronald W. Reagan Doral Senior High School. “It’s a person that you grew up seeing. I’ve seen her since middle school,” said Romo, a 25-year-old therapist. “Everything has been a shock. I’m just here to give any kind of support that I can offer.”

Victims and those missing in condo collapse are remembered at a beach vigil

The death toll after the collapse of a Florida apartment tower rose to nine, officials said Sunday, with more than 150 people still missing and their weary families waiting nearly four days for information as to their fate. 
 
The outlook grew increasingly grim by the hour, however, as the slow rescue operation, involving workers sorting nonstop through the rubble in torrid heat and high humidity, carried on.

Four new bodies and other human remains were found after rescuers dug an enormous trench -- 125 feet long, 20 feet wide and 40 feet deep (38 by 6 by 12 meters) -- through the mountain of debris, according to the Miami-Dade County mayor.

"As of now, the number of confirmed fatalities remains at nine," Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters in Surfside, near Miami Beach. She had said earlier that one victim had died in hospital.

"We have identified an additional four of the victims" for a total of eight identified, she said during a Sunday evening press conference. "We're working to notify those next of kin first."

Six to eight squads, backed by two huge cranes and aided by sniffer dogs, are "on the pile actually searching at any given time," she added.

She also said that "we did give all of the families an opportunity to privately visit the site."

More than 100 people visited the site over the course of the day. Each of the three groups -- one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening -- was bused by the Miami-Dade police and fire departments and allowed to stay for an hour.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said debris with "forensic value" is being taken to a large warehouse to be inspected as investigators seek to determine the cause of the collapse.

And Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said accommodation was being found for anyone wishing to evacuate the tower's nearly identical "sister" building a block away, though no structural problems have yet been identified there.

International effort 
Israeli and Mexican engineers and search-and-rescue specialists have joined an army of American workers at the site.

Teams in protective gear have been toiling round the clock since the early-morning Thursday collapse, but are only able to work a half-hour at a time before handing the job to the next crew.

"We don't have a resource problem," Burkett told ABC's "This Week." "We have a luck problem. We need to get more lucky right now."

The 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South pancaked in the middle of the night Thursday as residents slept. Surveillance video of the collapse showed it coming down in just a few seconds.

Jake Samuelson's grandparents, Arnie and Myriam Notkin, are among those missing, although his mother continues to receive phone calls from their landline, with only static on the other end, the family told local media.

"We are trying to rationalize what is happening here, we are trying to get answers," Samuelson told Local 10 news, unaware whether the calls were from his grandparents or mechanical failure.

President Joe Biden said Sunday his administration would coordinate with local officials and was "ready to provide any support or assistance that is needed."

"This is an unimaginably difficult time for the families enduring this tragedy," he said in a statement. "My&nbsp;heart goes out to every single person suffering during this awful moment."

'Make every effort' 
Many members of the local Jewish community were among those affected by the tragedy, and Israel had vowed to help with the agonising search. 
 
"This is one of the best, if not the best, and the most experienced rescue teams, Israeli rescue teams," Israeli diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said as the team arrived early Sunday.

About half of Surfside's population is Jewish, including many members of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, according to the Israeli media.&nbsp; 
 
So far, four victims have been identified by local police: Gladys and Antonio Lozano, respectively aged 79 and 83; 54-year-old Stacie Fang, whose 15-year-old son was rescued from the debris Thursday; and Manuel LaFont, also 54.&nbsp; 
 
At least 18 Latin American nationals are among the missing -- including Uruguayans, Argentines and Paraguayans. Canada has also said at least four of its citizens may be "affected," without elaborating.

Families of the missing have expressed mounting frustration and anger at the wait as concerns grow about the building's condition before the collapse. Officials who spoke Sunday repeatedly sought to reassure them that everything possible is being done.

"We're moving as fast as we can, as hard as we can," Miami-Dade fire chief Alan Cominsky told reporters.

Anger was fanned by news Friday that an engineer's survey of the building in 2018 had pointed to "major structural damage" to a concrete slab beneath a ground-level pool deck, as well as "abundant" damage inside the parking garage.

Authorities have stressed that the reason for the collapse could take months to determine.

The death toll after the collapse of a Florida apartment tower rose to nine, officials said Sunday, with more than 150 people still missing and their weary families waiting nearly four days for information as to their fate.

The death toll after the collapse of a Florida apartment tower rose to nine, officials said Sunday, with more than 150 people still missing and their weary families waiting nearly four days for information as to their fate. The outlook grew increasingly grim by the hour, however, as the slow rescue operation, involving workers sorting nonstop through the rubble in torrid heat and high humidity, carried on. Four new bodies and other human remains were found after rescuers dug an enormous trench -- 125 feet long, 20 feet wide and 40 feet deep (38 by 6 by 12 meters) -- through the mountain of debris, according to the Miami-Dade County mayor. "As of now, the number of confirmed fatalities remains at nine," Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters in Surfside, near Miami Beach. She had said earlier that one victim had died in hospital. "We have identified an additional four of the victims" for a total of eight identified, she said during a Sunday evening press conference. "We're working to notify those next of kin first." Six to eight squads, backed by two huge cranes and aided by sniffer dogs, are "on the pile actually searching at any given time," she added. She also said that "we did give all of the families an opportunity to privately visit the site." More than 100 people visited the site over the course of the day. Each of the three groups -- one in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening -- was bused by the Miami-Dade police and fire departments and allowed to stay for an hour. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said debris with "forensic value" is being taken to a large warehouse to be inspected as investigators seek to determine the cause of the collapse. And Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said accommodation was being found for anyone wishing to evacuate the tower's nearly identical "sister" building a block away, though no structural problems have yet been identified there. International effort Israeli and Mexican engineers and search-and-rescue specialists have joined an army of American workers at the site. Teams in protective gear have been toiling round the clock since the early-morning Thursday collapse, but are only able to work a half-hour at a time before handing the job to the next crew. "We don't have a resource problem," Burkett told ABC's "This Week." "We have a luck problem. We need to get more lucky right now." The 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South pancaked in the middle of the night Thursday as residents slept. Surveillance video of the collapse showed it coming down in just a few seconds. Jake Samuelson's grandparents, Arnie and Myriam Notkin, are among those missing, although his mother continues to receive phone calls from their landline, with only static on the other end, the family told local media. "We are trying to rationalize what is happening here, we are trying to get answers," Samuelson told Local 10 news, unaware whether the calls were from his grandparents or mechanical failure. President Joe Biden said Sunday his administration would coordinate with local officials and was "ready to provide any support or assistance that is needed." "This is an unimaginably difficult time for the families enduring this tragedy," he said in a statement. "My heart goes out to every single person suffering during this awful moment." 'Make every effort' Many members of the local Jewish community were among those affected by the tragedy, and Israel had vowed to help with the agonising search. "This is one of the best, if not the best, and the most experienced rescue teams, Israeli rescue teams," Israeli diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said as the team arrived early Sunday. About half of Surfside's population is Jewish, including many members of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, according to the Israeli media. So far, four victims have been identified by local police: Gladys and Antonio Lozano, respectively aged 79 and 83; 54-year-old Stacie Fang, whose 15-year-old son was rescued from the debris Thursday; and Manuel LaFont, also 54. At least 18 Latin American nationals are among the missing -- including Uruguayans, Argentines and Paraguayans. Canada has also said at least four of its citizens may be "affected," without elaborating. Families of the missing have expressed mounting frustration and anger at the wait as concerns grow about the building's condition before the collapse. Officials who spoke Sunday repeatedly sought to reassure them that everything possible is being done. "We're moving as fast as we can, as hard as we can," Miami-Dade fire chief Alan Cominsky told reporters. Anger was fanned by news Friday that an engineer's survey of the building in 2018 had pointed to "major structural damage" to a concrete slab beneath a ground-level pool deck, as well as "abundant" damage inside the parking garage. Authorities have stressed that the reason for the collapse could take months to determine.

Florida apartment collapse: Death toll climbs to nine as rescuers race to find survivors

Rescuers are still searching for survivors in the rubble of the collapsed Florida apartment tower, but the pressure is building;&nbsp;from families of missing residents to the state's governor; for answers on how such a disaster could have occurred.

A wing of the oceanfront complex suddenly pancaked on itself around 1:30 am (05:30 GMT) Thursday, with 55 apartments collapsing in a cloud of dust, leaving 159 people still missing on Friday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/florida-building-partially-collapses-emergency-search-underway-see-pics-393699">Florida building partially collapses; emergency search underway | See pics</a>

Completed in 1981, Champlain Towers South was due to be recertified this year in line with Miami-Dade county safety regulations, which require a review every 40 years, and roof work was ongoing as part of that process.

But county officials stressed there was no indication of a causal link between the refurbishment work and the collapse, which so far has a confirmed death toll of four.

In addition to the loved ones of the dead and missing, and those who are suddenly homeless, "there's a lot of other people throughout this community and really throughout Florida who want to know, well, how could a building just collapse like that?" Governor Ron DeSantis said.

He called for a "timely" explanation, adding that families "have a right to know."

Mike Salberg, who is waiting for information on five missing family members, including his parents, echoed the sentiments.

"I want answers," the New Yorker told AFP. "The families are sidelined."

Settling

Attention has turned, however, to a study led by Florida International University's Shimon Wdowinski, based on space-based radar data, which found signs of land subsidence at the site between 1993 and 1999.

"I don't know if the collapse was predictable. But we did detect that the building moved in the 1990s," the environment professor said on CNN.

"It's very subtle. It's two millimeters per year but it's still detected by the satellites," he explained, describing what was happening as a "slow process" of settling, rather than sinking.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/florida-building-collapse-159-victims-still-missing-under-debris-394052/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"In this case, it's a very localized signal of that building," he said.&nbsp;

"And it means that it's not necessarily the building moved into the ground. It can be that the building moved within itself -- if there were some kind of structural damage within the building."

'Going to take some time'&nbsp;

FIU cautioned in a post on its website that "land subsidence in and of itself likely would not cause a building's collapse."

The university also noted that the subsidence observed in Surfside was significantly slower than other parts of the planet Wdowinski has studied -- Mexico City, for example, is subsiding at a rate of 15 inches per year, 2,000 times higher.

Another of the university's experts, Atorod Azizinamini, chair of its civil and environmental engineering department, cautioned in an online video that it was too soon to speculate on a cause.

He said structural engineers would collect vast quantities of data on the building's design plans and construction methods, take samples of steel and concrete, look at signs of corrosion, examine the foundation for signs of settlement, and try to detect any unusual event before the collapse.

"Once we have all the information we can simulate exactly different scenarios, and we can pinpoint how the collapse took place," Azizinamini said. "Unfortunately that is not going to be happening in a matter of days, weeks."

"It's going to take some time."

But Matthys Levy, a consulting engineer and professor at Columbia University interviewed by USA Today, said even the minor subsidence detected could have an impact.

"A millimeter may seem like a small number, but when you add them up over many years, it becomes a big number," Levy said -- who pointed to the fact that one part of the building is still standing as potentially significant.

If one part of a building is well-founded and the other is not, he explained, it can cause distortion in the floor slabs and "suddenly, you get cracking, breaking and fracturing."&nbsp;

That can lead to what is called progressive collapse -- as happened during the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York.

"If one part of the building fails, it drags the rest with it," Levy said. "There's nothing there to stop it, there's no strong elements to hold it back. It's a cascade."

US media have separately reported that a 2015 lawsuit&nbsp;from an owner alleged that the&nbsp;building's management failed to maintain an outside wall, resulting in water damage and cracks.

Rescuers are still searching for survivors in the rubble of the collapsed Florida apartment tower, but the pressure is building; from families of missing residents to the state's governor; for answers on how such a disaster could have occurred.

Rescuers are still searching for survivors in the rubble of the collapsed Florida apartment tower, but the pressure is building; from families of missing residents to the state's governor; for answers on how such a disaster could have occurred. A wing of the oceanfront complex suddenly pancaked on itself around 1:30 am (05:30 GMT) Thursday, with 55 apartments collapsing in a cloud of dust, leaving 159 people still missing on Friday. Also read | Florida building partially collapses; emergency search underway | See pics Completed in 1981, Champlain Towers South was due to be recertified this year in line with Miami-Dade county safety regulations, which require a review every 40 years, and roof work was ongoing as part of that process. But county officials stressed there was no indication of a causal link between the refurbishment work and the collapse, which so far has a confirmed death toll of four. In addition to the loved ones of the dead and missing, and those who are suddenly homeless, "there's a lot of other people throughout this community and really throughout Florida who want to know, well, how could a building just collapse like that?" Governor Ron DeSantis said. He called for a "timely" explanation, adding that families "have a right to know." Mike Salberg, who is waiting for information on five missing family members, including his parents, echoed the sentiments. "I want answers," the New Yorker told AFP. "The families are sidelined." Settling Attention has turned, however, to a study led by Florida International University's Shimon Wdowinski, based on space-based radar data, which found signs of land subsidence at the site between 1993 and 1999. "I don't know if the collapse was predictable. But we did detect that the building moved in the 1990s," the environment professor said on CNN. "It's very subtle. It's two millimeters per year but it's still detected by the satellites," he explained, describing what was happening as a "slow process" of settling, rather than sinking. "In this case, it's a very localized signal of that building," he said. "And it means that it's not necessarily the building moved into the ground. It can be that the building moved within itself -- if there were some kind of structural damage within the building." 'Going to take some time' FIU cautioned in a post on its website that "land subsidence in and of itself likely would not cause a building's collapse." The university also noted that the subsidence observed in Surfside was significantly slower than other parts of the planet Wdowinski has studied -- Mexico City, for example, is subsiding at a rate of 15 inches per year, 2,000 times higher. Another of the university's experts, Atorod Azizinamini, chair of its civil and environmental engineering department, cautioned in an online video that it was too soon to speculate on a cause. He said structural engineers would collect vast quantities of data on the building's design plans and construction methods, take samples of steel and concrete, look at signs of corrosion, examine the foundation for signs of settlement, and try to detect any unusual event before the collapse. "Once we have all the information we can simulate exactly different scenarios, and we can pinpoint how the collapse took place," Azizinamini said. "Unfortunately that is not going to be happening in a matter of days, weeks." "It's going to take some time." But Matthys Levy, a consulting engineer and professor at Columbia University interviewed by USA Today, said even the minor subsidence detected could have an impact. "A millimeter may seem like a small number, but when you add them up over many years, it becomes a big number," Levy said -- who pointed to the fact that one part of the building is still standing as potentially significant. If one part of a building is well-founded and the other is not, he explained, it can cause distortion in the floor slabs and "suddenly, you get cracking, breaking and fracturing." That can lead to what is called progressive collapse -- as happened during the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York. "If one part of the building fails, it drags the rest with it," Levy said. "There's nothing there to stop it, there's no strong elements to hold it back. It's a cascade." US media have separately reported that a 2015 lawsuit from an owner alleged that the building's management failed to maintain an outside wall, resulting in water damage and cracks.

Demands for answers in aftermath of Florida building collapse

A team of Israeli engineers and rescue specialists on Sunday reached the site of a Florida apartment building that partially collapsed three days ago, killing at least five people with 156 still missing.

Many members of the local Jewish community were among those affected by the tragedy in Surfside, near Miami Beach, and Israel had vowed to help with the agonizing search through the smoking mountain of debris.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-from-florida-building-collapse-climbs-to-five-394275">Death toll from Florida building collapse climbs to five</a>

The 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South pancaked in the middle of the night Thursday as residents slept. Surveillance video of the collapse showed it coming down in just a few seconds.

The rescue operation has been agonizingly slow and painstaking, and fears of a much higher death toll are climbing with each passing hour, though rescuers have stressed that there may yet be survivors trapped inside the rubble.

"This is one of the best, if not the best, and the most experienced rescue teams, Israeli rescue teams," Israeli diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said as the team arrived in Surfside early Sunday.

"They've been all over the world in many similar situations."

The Israeli specialists will join rescuers armed with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs who have been working around the clock since the building came down.

Earlier, Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz had vowed the team would "make every effort to help save human life, and to offer our support to the Jewish community and to our American friends."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/makeshift-memorial-honors-missing-in-florida-building-tragedy-394278">Makeshift memorial honors missing in Florida building tragedy</a>

In Surfside, there are about 2,500 Jews. about half the town's population and many of them are members of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, according to the Israeli media, though locals say the numbers have grown since the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus pandemic.</a>&nbsp;

A team from Mexico had also arrived, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett told ABC on Sunday, without giving more details.

"We don't have a resource problem," he said. "We have a luck problem. We need to get more lucky right now."

At least 18 Latin American nationals are among the missing, including Uruguayans, Argentines and Paraguayans. Canada has also said at least four of its citizens may be "affected," without elaborating.

Late Saturday, officials said they had been able to battle back a fire that for days had hampered their efforts, spreading acrid smoke throughout the site.

Families of the missing have expressed frustration and anger at the wait as concerns have grown about the building's condition before the collapse.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/florida-building-partially-collapses-emergency-search-underway-see-pics-393699">Florida building partially collapses; emergency search underway | See pics</a>

A study in the 1990s had shown land subsidence in the area, while an engineer's survey of the building in 2018 had pointed to "major structural damage" to a concrete slab beneath a ground-level pool deck, as well as "abundant" damage inside the parking garage.

Authorities have stressed that the reason for the collapse is not yet known, and could take months to determine.

US media have reported that one resident filed a class-action lawsuit against the building's owners seeking compensation for victims less than 24 hours after the tragedy.

A team of Israeli engineers and rescue specialists on Sunday reached the site of a Florida apartment building that partially collapsed three days ago, killing at least five people with 156 still missing.

A team of Israeli engineers and rescue specialists on Sunday reached the site of a Florida apartment building that partially collapsed three days ago, killing at least five people with 156 still missing. Many members of the local Jewish community were among those affected by the tragedy in Surfside, near Miami Beach, and Israel had vowed to help with the agonizing search through the smoking mountain of debris. Also read | Death toll from Florida building collapse climbs to five The 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South pancaked in the middle of the night Thursday as residents slept. Surveillance video of the collapse showed it coming down in just a few seconds. The rescue operation has been agonizingly slow and painstaking, and fears of a much higher death toll are climbing with each passing hour, though rescuers have stressed that there may yet be survivors trapped inside the rubble. "This is one of the best, if not the best, and the most experienced rescue teams, Israeli rescue teams," Israeli diaspora affairs minister Nachman Shai said as the team arrived in Surfside early Sunday. "They've been all over the world in many similar situations." The Israeli specialists will join rescuers armed with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs who have been working around the clock since the building came down. Earlier, Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz had vowed the team would "make every effort to help save human life, and to offer our support to the Jewish community and to our American friends." Also read | Makeshift memorial honors missing in Florida building tragedy In Surfside, there are about 2,500 Jews. about half the town's population and many of them are members of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, according to the Israeli media, though locals say the numbers have grown since the coronavirus pandemic. A team from Mexico had also arrived, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett told ABC on Sunday, without giving more details. "We don't have a resource problem," he said. "We have a luck problem. We need to get more lucky right now." At least 18 Latin American nationals are among the missing, including Uruguayans, Argentines and Paraguayans. Canada has also said at least four of its citizens may be "affected," without elaborating. Late Saturday, officials said they had been able to battle back a fire that for days had hampered their efforts, spreading acrid smoke throughout the site. Families of the missing have expressed frustration and anger at the wait as concerns have grown about the building's condition before the collapse. Also read | Florida building partially collapses; emergency search underway | See pics A study in the 1990s had shown land subsidence in the area, while an engineer's survey of the building in 2018 had pointed to "major structural damage" to a concrete slab beneath a ground-level pool deck, as well as "abundant" damage inside the parking garage. Authorities have stressed that the reason for the collapse is not yet known, and could take months to determine. US media have reported that one resident filed a class-action lawsuit against the building's owners seeking compensation for victims less than 24 hours after the tragedy.

Israeli rescuers reach Florida building collapse, 156 still missing

The death toll from the partial collapse of a&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;high-rise apartment building rose to five on Saturday as officials continued to hold out hope for survivors, following the release of an engineering report from three years ago that warned of "major structural damage."

The increase in the death toll by one underscored the slow and painstaking search process more than two days after part of the 12-story oceanfront building in Surfside, near Miami Beach, pancaked into a mountain of debris as residents slept inside.

"Today our search and rescue teams found another body in the rubble and as well our search has revealed some human remains,"&nbsp;Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters Saturday evening.

With the identification of three previously recovered bodies and notification of next of kin, "it means that the unaccounted is now gone down to 156, confirmed deaths are now at a total of five," she said.

Rescuers were able to battle back a fire that hampered their efforts earlier in the day, and workers had dug a trench through the debris to control the "very deep" blaze.

"We don't have a resource problem here, we have a luck problem," said Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett.

"The issue is we've been fighting the elements, we've been fighting the fire, but we have one objective. And that is to bring those people out of the rubble safely and return them to their families."&nbsp;

The passage of time with no further survivors being found raised fears of a much higher death toll as rescuers sift through the debris with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs, and as increasingly frustrated families continued their agonizing wait.

"We have a friend who got out of the building with her husband," Gina Berlin, 54, who lives in the neighborhood, told AFP. "She is still traumatized... And I am still in shock."

At a makeshift memorial on a nearby street, well-wishers piled flowers and lit candles, while family members posted dozens of pictures of missing persons on a chain-link fence.

Two big cranes on Saturday continued shifting debris as the acrid smell of burnt rubber and melting plastic hung in the baking&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;heat.

'Abundant' cracking

Authorities and experts have stressed that the causes for Champlain Tower South's collapse are still unknown.&nbsp;

But the report of an engineering consultancy that studied the building in 2018, released late Friday by officials, underlined early concerns.

It said its inspectors found "major structural damage" to the concrete slab below a ground-level pool deck and "abundant" cracking and crumbling in the parking garage.

"Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially," warned the report, from the Morabito Consultants firm.

Most of the damage was "probably caused by years of exposure to the corrosive salt air along the South&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;coast," it said.

The report did not indicate that the 40-year-old building risked collapse, but said it needed repairs to maintain "structural integrity."

A lawyer for the building's owners told The New York Times that work was "just about to get started" on the multi-million dollar repairs.

Florida&nbsp;Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters Saturday that local officials were "considering potentially evacuating" a nearby building that was built by the same developers, around the same time, as the collapsed structure. But he said there were no indications of immediate danger there.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-airs-old-election-grievances-at-campaign-style-rally-394254">Also Read |&nbsp;Trump airs old election grievances at campaign-style rally</a>

A study led by&nbsp;Florida&nbsp;International University found signs of land subsidence -- a phenomenon affecting much of the Atlantic coast -- at the site in the mid-1990s.

Mayor Cava said the county would immediately undertake a one-month safety audit of all buildings 40 years or older.&nbsp;

'72 hours'

Meanwhile, authorities held out hope that survivors were underneath the rubble.

"All of our training tells us that for at least the first 72 hours, there are high likelihood of people that could be alive in there," Danny Cardeso, with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told CBS News.

Israel announced it was sending a team of engineers and rescue specialists to help.&nbsp;

"We will make every effort to help save human life, and to offer our support to the Jewish community and to our American friends," said Defense Minister Benny Gantz.

Faced with the painstakingly slow search, some families voiced frustration.&nbsp;

"Not enough is being done," said Mike Salberg, who came from New York after the accident. Five family members, including his parents, remain unaccounted for.

"I want answers," he told AFP.&nbsp;

Others were preparing for the worst.

"We want to be hopeful but also we have to be realistic," said a man who gave his name only as Mark, waiting for news of his friend's mother.

"The next step is being there for the families and know why this happened."

The death toll from the partial collapse of a Florida high-rise apartment building rose to five on Saturday as officials continued to hold out hope for survivors, following the release of an engineering report from three years ago that warned of "major structural damage.

The death toll from the partial collapse of a Florida high-rise apartment building rose to five on Saturday as officials continued to hold out hope for survivors, following the release of an engineering report from three years ago that warned of "major structural damage." The increase in the death toll by one underscored the slow and painstaking search process more than two days after part of the 12-story oceanfront building in Surfside, near Miami Beach, pancaked into a mountain of debris as residents slept inside. "Today our search and rescue teams found another body in the rubble and as well our search has revealed some human remains," Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters Saturday evening. With the identification of three previously recovered bodies and notification of next of kin, "it means that the unaccounted is now gone down to 156, confirmed deaths are now at a total of five," she said. Rescuers were able to battle back a fire that hampered their efforts earlier in the day, and workers had dug a trench through the debris to control the "very deep" blaze. "We don't have a resource problem here, we have a luck problem," said Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett. "The issue is we've been fighting the elements, we've been fighting the fire, but we have one objective. And that is to bring those people out of the rubble safely and return them to their families." The passage of time with no further survivors being found raised fears of a much higher death toll as rescuers sift through the debris with heavy machinery and sniffer dogs, and as increasingly frustrated families continued their agonizing wait. "We have a friend who got out of the building with her husband," Gina Berlin, 54, who lives in the neighborhood, told AFP. "She is still traumatized... And I am still in shock." At a makeshift memorial on a nearby street, well-wishers piled flowers and lit candles, while family members posted dozens of pictures of missing persons on a chain-link fence. Two big cranes on Saturday continued shifting debris as the acrid smell of burnt rubber and melting plastic hung in the baking Florida heat. 'Abundant' cracking Authorities and experts have stressed that the causes for Champlain Tower South's collapse are still unknown. But the report of an engineering consultancy that studied the building in 2018, released late Friday by officials, underlined early concerns. It said its inspectors found "major structural damage" to the concrete slab below a ground-level pool deck and "abundant" cracking and crumbling in the parking garage. "Failure to replace the waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially," warned the report, from the Morabito Consultants firm. Most of the damage was "probably caused by years of exposure to the corrosive salt air along the South Florida coast," it said. The report did not indicate that the 40-year-old building risked collapse, but said it needed repairs to maintain "structural integrity." A lawyer for the building's owners told The New York Times that work was "just about to get started" on the multi-million dollar repairs. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters Saturday that local officials were "considering potentially evacuating" a nearby building that was built by the same developers, around the same time, as the collapsed structure. But he said there were no indications of immediate danger there. Also Read | Trump airs old election grievances at campaign-style rally A study led by Florida International University found signs of land subsidence -- a phenomenon affecting much of the Atlantic coast -- at the site in the mid-1990s. Mayor Cava said the county would immediately undertake a one-month safety audit of all buildings 40 years or older. '72 hours' Meanwhile, authorities held out hope that survivors were underneath the rubble. "All of our training tells us that for at least the first 72 hours, there are high likelihood of people that could be alive in there," Danny Cardeso, with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told CBS News. Israel announced it was sending a team of engineers and rescue specialists to help. "We will make every effort to help save human life, and to offer our support to the Jewish community and to our American friends," said Defense Minister Benny Gantz. Faced with the painstakingly slow search, some families voiced frustration. "Not enough is being done," said Mike Salberg, who came from New York after the accident. Five family members, including his parents, remain unaccounted for. "I want answers," he told AFP. Others were preparing for the worst. "We want to be hopeful but also we have to be realistic," said a man who gave his name only as Mark, waiting for news of his friend's mother. "The next step is being there for the families and know why this happened."

Death toll from Florida building collapse climbs to five

A frantic rescue operation is underway to save dozens of residents trapped under the debris of a collapsed Miami condo. What caused the building to crumble? How is the search operation unfolding? Palki Sharma has a report.

Gravitas | Florida building collapse: Frantic race to save lives

Staring into space or sobbing, family members of those missing in the Florida apartment building collapse waited in anguish for news of loved ones, while others scrambled for a place to live after their home was destroyed.

The disaster in Surfside, near&nbsp;Miami&nbsp;Beach, left one person dead and 99 unaccounted for after the collapse early Thursday, with fears the toll may rise much higher.

"Everything is gone," said Erick de Moura, 40, who was at the town's community center trying to find temporary accommodation.

The Brazilian had lived for three years on the 10th floor of the oceanfront Champlain Towers South, part of which pancaked in the middle of the night for reasons yet unknown.

He survived because he had decided to stay at his girlfriend's house last night.

"I am homeless now. I lost my papers, documents, everything. My green card, my money," de Moura said.

"I just came back and the scene is shocking," he added. "There is a lot of pain. I'm blessed that I am alive."

As for his neighbors, "I think they're gone."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deaths-outnumber-births-in-britain-for-the-first-time-since-1976-393790">Also Read |&nbsp;Deaths outnumber births in Britain for the first time since 1976</a>

These residents had had the best view, overlooking the beach and ocean, until their part of the tower collapsed like a house of cards in the night.

<img alt="Search and Rescue personnel work at a partial collapse building in Surfside, Miami Beach, on June 24, 2021." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8a1538f6-802d-4afa-b94a-1fad89a7d2dc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9D44JW.jpg" />

Search and Rescue personnel work at a partial collapse building in Surfside, Miami Beach, on June 24, 2021. Image Credits: AFP

<img alt=" A high-rise oceanfront apartment block near Miami Beach partially collapsed early Thursday." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bc737294-a7c1-426c-ad69-2bc1fac91719" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_9D44K2.jpg" />

&nbsp;A high-rise oceanfront apartment block near Miami Beach partially collapsed early Thursday. Image Credits: AFP

Firefighters, police and search dogs spent the day trying to locate survivors in the rubble. A crane cleared away pieces of debris, while a helicopter patrolled from above.

The rest of the 12-story building was still standing, but all residents were evacuated and several surrounding streets cordoned off.&nbsp;

The survivors and families of those missing gathered a few blocks away at the community center, where volunteers were providing water, coffee, lunches, and clothes, as well as emotional support.

Displaced residents were trying to figure out where they can now live, whether it's with relatives or in hotels which have offered rooms. Others waited grimly for news of their loved ones.

People come and go. Some are seated and motionless, while others are sobbing.

More than a thousand people have passed through the community center, said Ron Ben Hayoun, a 22-year-old volunteer and north&nbsp;Miami&nbsp;resident who had returned to his childhood neighborhood to help.

In this city with a large Jewish community, "we try to help everyone, we are not exclusive."

"It's pretty shocking. people are very emotional," said the young man, who had recently returned from Israel where he did his military service.

Staring into space or sobbing, family members of those missing in the Florida apartment building collapse waited in anguish for news of loved ones, while others scrambled for a place to live after their home was destroyed.

Staring into space or sobbing, family members of those missing in the Florida apartment building collapse waited in anguish for news of loved ones, while others scrambled for a place to live after their home was destroyed. The disaster in Surfside, near Miami Beach, left one person dead and 99 unaccounted for after the collapse early Thursday, with fears the toll may rise much higher. "Everything is gone," said Erick de Moura, 40, who was at the town's community center trying to find temporary accommodation. The Brazilian had lived for three years on the 10th floor of the oceanfront Champlain Towers South, part of which pancaked in the middle of the night for reasons yet unknown. He survived because he had decided to stay at his girlfriend's house last night. "I am homeless now. I lost my papers, documents, everything. My green card, my money," de Moura said. "I just came back and the scene is shocking," he added. "There is a lot of pain. I'm blessed that I am alive." As for his neighbors, "I think they're gone." Also Read | Deaths outnumber births in Britain for the first time since 1976 These residents had had the best view, overlooking the beach and ocean, until their part of the tower collapsed like a house of cards in the night. Search and Rescue personnel work at a partial collapse building in Surfside, Miami Beach, on June 24, 2021. Image Credits: AFP A high-rise oceanfront apartment block near Miami Beach partially collapsed early Thursday. Image Credits: AFP Firefighters, police and search dogs spent the day trying to locate survivors in the rubble. A crane cleared away pieces of debris, while a helicopter patrolled from above. The rest of the 12-story building was still standing, but all residents were evacuated and several surrounding streets cordoned off. The survivors and families of those missing gathered a few blocks away at the community center, where volunteers were providing water, coffee, lunches, and clothes, as well as emotional support. Displaced residents were trying to figure out where they can now live, whether it's with relatives or in hotels which have offered rooms. Others waited grimly for news of their loved ones. People come and go. Some are seated and motionless, while others are sobbing. More than a thousand people have passed through the community center, said Ron Ben Hayoun, a 22-year-old volunteer and north Miami resident who had returned to his childhood neighborhood to help. In this city with a large Jewish community, "we try to help everyone, we are not exclusive." "It's pretty shocking. people are very emotional," said the young man, who had recently returned from Israel where he did his military service.

Families wait for news of survivors after Florida building collapse

Five building workers were confirmed dead&nbsp;Saturday a day after a school construction site partially collapsed in the Belgian city of&nbsp;Antwerp.

The last two bodies were pulled out the rubble on Saturday afternoon,&nbsp;Antwerp's fire department said, meaning that all the missing victims were now accounted for.

King Philippe of Belgium visited the scene on Saturday accompanied by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo.

Two of the dead were from Portugal and Romania, police told local media while the nationality of the other dead workers was not clear.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-far-right-tests-voters-appetite-in-regional-elections-392660">Also Read |&nbsp;French far-right tests voters' appetite in regional elections</a>

But when three people were still missing, rescue workers had said they were looking for two more Portuguese and one Russian.

Nine other people were injured in the incident on Friday afternoon, with three still in intensive care a day later, but not in critical condition, the fire department tweeted.&nbsp;

As the school was still under construction, no students were present when the accident happened.

The cause of the collapse was not known, but all the victims were sub-contractors for construction firm Democo, Belga news agency reported.

"All the employees are devastated," Frederik Bijnens, Democo's managing director, told Belga.

"Now that the emergency services have done all they can, a thorough investigation will begin to identify the cause of the accident," he added.&nbsp;

Five building workers were confirmed dead Saturday a day after a school construction site partially collapsed in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The last two bodies were pulled out the rubble on Saturday afternoon, Antwerp's fire department said, meaning that all the missing victims were now accounted for.

Five building workers were confirmed dead Saturday a day after a school construction site partially collapsed in the Belgian city of Antwerp. The last two bodies were pulled out the rubble on Saturday afternoon, Antwerp's fire department said, meaning that all the missing victims were now accounted for. King Philippe of Belgium visited the scene on Saturday accompanied by Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo. Two of the dead were from Portugal and Romania, police told local media while the nationality of the other dead workers was not clear. Also Read | French far-right tests voters' appetite in regional elections But when three people were still missing, rescue workers had said they were looking for two more Portuguese and one Russian. Nine other people were injured in the incident on Friday afternoon, with three still in intensive care a day later, but not in critical condition, the fire department tweeted. As the school was still under construction, no students were present when the accident happened. The cause of the collapse was not known, but all the victims were sub-contractors for construction firm Democo, Belga news agency reported. "All the employees are devastated," Frederik Bijnens, Democo's managing director, told Belga. "Now that the emergency services have done all they can, a thorough investigation will begin to identify the cause of the accident," he added.

Five dead in Antwerp school collapse

It was a rainy evening in April when Marlies Pinksterboer, an Amsterdam-based jewellery designer, was startled by a loud, rumbling sound. “It was as if a part of a building had come crashing down,” she said. “It was crazy.”

It was too dark to see what had happened, but when she opened the curtains in the morning she saw that the street on the other side of the canal had been cordoned off. A large sinkhole had appeared, and an antique lamppost next to it had fallen down. A shopping cart, devoured by the gaping pit, glittered in the hole.

Had it happened during the day, she said, “someone could easily have fallen in.”

That’s when Pinksterboer started worrying about the 17th-century canal house she lived in. “Will that one day come crashing down,” she wondered, half serious, while standing on one of the ancient brick and mortar walls that line the canals in her neighbourhood of Groenburgwal, one of the oldest areas of Amsterdam.

The danger is certainly not exaggerated. Amsterdam, with its scenic canals lined with picturesque, 17th- and 18th-century buildings, a major European tourist destination, is slowly crumbling.

Sinkholes are appearing in its small streets, and nearly half its 1,700 bridges are rickety and need repairs, frequently requiring trams to cross at a snail’s pace. As a huge project to shore up the canal walls gets underway, the city is beginning to look like one gigantic construction site.

The fundamental problem is the state of the walls: About 125 miles of them are so dilapidated that they are in danger of collapsing into the canals, potentially taking buildings and people with them.

Last year a canal wall near the University of Amsterdam came crashing down without warning, leaving sewer pipes dangling and disoriented fish jumping out of the water. Fortunately no one was walking by just then, but one of the tourist boats that constantly ply the canals had just passed.

Like much of the Netherlands, Amsterdam lies below sea level. Built on a swamp and heavily expanded in the 17th century, the city sits atop millions of wood pilings that serve as foundations. The Royal Palace on the Dam, for example, rests on 13,659 of them. Virtually everything in central Amsterdam is supported by these pilings.

Perhaps surprisingly, the pilings are still in relatively good shape, but they were engineered for a different age.

“At the time these were built to carry the weight of horses and carriages, not of 40-ton cement trucks and other heavy equipment,” said Egbert de Vries, the alderman in charge of what promises to be an enormous rebuilding project. As modern life changed the city, many houses were fortified with cement and concrete, but the underpinnings of streets and canal walls were ignored.

Many of the wood pilings have shifted, cracked or collapsed under the pressure, causing the bridges and canal side walls to sag and crack. Water then seeps in, cleaning out mortar, further hollowing out the infrastructure and creating sinkholes.

Add to this all the traffic happily cruising the 17th-century canal rings where centuries earlier Rembrandt would walk to his studio and Spinoza debated religion. SUVs park right on the edges of the canals, while garbage trucks have displaced the boats that used to collect the waste. Before the pandemic, a flotilla of tourist boats swept through the canals, making sharp turns that created propeller turbulence, further eating away at the foundations.

Something had to be done, and soon. “If we would have continued like this we would have headed straight for a catastrophe,” De Vries said.

The reconstruction will take at least 20 years and cost 2 billion euros, about $2.5 billion, and perhaps even more, experts have calculated. “These are big numbers, and work needs to take place in a very busy, closely populated area,” De Vries said. “People live here and work here, and we usually have many tourists.”

In the center of the city, in the Grachtengordel, 15 bridges are currently under repair. Some are closed, like the Bullebak, an iconic bridge and critical part of the city’s infrastructure.

Engineers are trying to prevent the collapse of the canal walls the bridge is connected to, while at the same time disentangling a web of electricity and internet cables, phone lines and other services that use the bridge.

“It’s a very complex intervention,” said Dave Kaandorp, a building contractor working on the renovations. He did see one upside, as the canals were suddenly being used for what they were intended for. “We bring a lot of the building materials over the water now.”

Still, many mainly see the downside of all the work. Along several of the city’s most beautiful canals, historic trees have been cut down to ease pressure on the canal walls. Steel sheet piles shore up walls deemed to be in danger of imminent collapse. Divers and technicians with remotely operated underwater cameras search for the worst cracks.

“One would have hoped the municipality would have dealt with this earlier,” said Kadir van Lohuizen, a well-known Dutch photographer who focuses on climate change. He lives on one of the 2,500 houseboats in Amsterdam. “Instead they spent all their money on the new metro line.” That line, the North-South Line, about 7 miles long, cost more than 3 billion euros and took 15 years to build.

Van Lohuizen and the 24 other boat owners along the Waalseilandsgracht have recently been told they will have to relocate temporarily from spots where they have moored for decades so that repairs can be made to the canal walls.

“Some houseboats will be temporarily placed right in the middle of the canal. For others there is a chance that their boats won’t fit anymore after support systems for the walls are placed,” he said. “It’s a gigantic mess. Right now they are building at 2 kilometres a year, and 200 kilometres need to be repaired. This could take a century.”

It was a rainy evening in April when Marlies Pinksterboer, an Amsterdam-based jewellery designer, was startled by a loud, rumbling sound. “It was as if a part of a building had come crashing down,” she said.

It was a rainy evening in April when Marlies Pinksterboer, an Amsterdam-based jewellery designer, was startled by a loud, rumbling sound. “It was as if a part of a building had come crashing down,” she said. “It was crazy.” It was too dark to see what had happened, but when she opened the curtains in the morning she saw that the street on the other side of the canal had been cordoned off. A large sinkhole had appeared, and an antique lamppost next to it had fallen down. A shopping cart, devoured by the gaping pit, glittered in the hole. Had it happened during the day, she said, “someone could easily have fallen in.” That’s when Pinksterboer started worrying about the 17th-century canal house she lived in. “Will that one day come crashing down,” she wondered, half serious, while standing on one of the ancient brick and mortar walls that line the canals in her neighbourhood of Groenburgwal, one of the oldest areas of Amsterdam. The danger is certainly not exaggerated. Amsterdam, with its scenic canals lined with picturesque, 17th- and 18th-century buildings, a major European tourist destination, is slowly crumbling. Sinkholes are appearing in its small streets, and nearly half its 1,700 bridges are rickety and need repairs, frequently requiring trams to cross at a snail’s pace. As a huge project to shore up the canal walls gets underway, the city is beginning to look like one gigantic construction site. The fundamental problem is the state of the walls: About 125 miles of them are so dilapidated that they are in danger of collapsing into the canals, potentially taking buildings and people with them. Last year a canal wall near the University of Amsterdam came crashing down without warning, leaving sewer pipes dangling and disoriented fish jumping out of the water. Fortunately no one was walking by just then, but one of the tourist boats that constantly ply the canals had just passed. Like much of the Netherlands, Amsterdam lies below sea level. Built on a swamp and heavily expanded in the 17th century, the city sits atop millions of wood pilings that serve as foundations. The Royal Palace on the Dam, for example, rests on 13,659 of them. Virtually everything in central Amsterdam is supported by these pilings. Perhaps surprisingly, the pilings are still in relatively good shape, but they were engineered for a different age. “At the time these were built to carry the weight of horses and carriages, not of 40-ton cement trucks and other heavy equipment,” said Egbert de Vries, the alderman in charge of what promises to be an enormous rebuilding project. As modern life changed the city, many houses were fortified with cement and concrete, but the underpinnings of streets and canal walls were ignored. Many of the wood pilings have shifted, cracked or collapsed under the pressure, causing the bridges and canal side walls to sag and crack. Water then seeps in, cleaning out mortar, further hollowing out the infrastructure and creating sinkholes. Add to this all the traffic happily cruising the 17th-century canal rings where centuries earlier Rembrandt would walk to his studio and Spinoza debated religion. SUVs park right on the edges of the canals, while garbage trucks have displaced the boats that used to collect the waste. Before the pandemic, a flotilla of tourist boats swept through the canals, making sharp turns that created propeller turbulence, further eating away at the foundations. Something had to be done, and soon. “If we would have continued like this we would have headed straight for a catastrophe,” De Vries said. The reconstruction will take at least 20 years and cost 2 billion euros, about $2.5 billion, and perhaps even more, experts have calculated. “These are big numbers, and work needs to take place in a very busy, closely populated area,” De Vries said. “People live here and work here, and we usually have many tourists.” In the center of the city, in the Grachtengordel, 15 bridges are currently under repair. Some are closed, like the Bullebak, an iconic bridge and critical part of the city’s infrastructure. Engineers are trying to prevent the collapse of the canal walls the bridge is connected to, while at the same time disentangling a web of electricity and internet cables, phone lines and other services that use the bridge. “It’s a very complex intervention,” said Dave Kaandorp, a building contractor working on the renovations. He did see one upside, as the canals were suddenly being used for what they were intended for. “We bring a lot of the building materials over the water now.” Still, many mainly see the downside of all the work. Along several of the city’s most beautiful canals, historic trees have been cut down to ease pressure on the canal walls. Steel sheet piles shore up walls deemed to be in danger of imminent collapse. Divers and technicians with remotely operated underwater cameras search for the worst cracks. “One would have hoped the municipality would have dealt with this earlier,” said Kadir van Lohuizen, a well-known Dutch photographer who focuses on climate change. He lives on one of the 2,500 houseboats in Amsterdam. “Instead they spent all their money on the new metro line.” That line, the North-South Line, about 7 miles long, cost more than 3 billion euros and took 15 years to build. Van Lohuizen and the 24 other boat owners along the Waalseilandsgracht have recently been told they will have to relocate temporarily from spots where they have moored for decades so that repairs can be made to the canal walls. “Some houseboats will be temporarily placed right in the middle of the canal. For others there is a chance that their boats won’t fit anymore after support systems for the walls are placed,” he said. “It’s a gigantic mess. Right now they are building at 2 kilometres a year, and 200 kilometres need to be repaired. This could take a century.”

Sinkholes, collapsing canal walls, rickety bridges: Amsterdam is crumbling

Europe must take action as Lebanon collapses, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, adding that he would press EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday to discuss solutions to the economic and political crisis in Beirut.&nbsp;

Paris has spearheaded international efforts to rescue the former French protectorate from its deepest crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, but after seven months has failed so far to persuade squabbling politicians to adopt a reform roadmap or form a new government to unlock international aid.&nbsp;

The crisis has accelerated in recent days, with the currency plunging in value and some grocery shops temporarily shutting for lack of supplies. President Michel Aoun is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri later on Monday to try and break the deadlock in forming a government.&nbsp;

"France wishes that we discuss the Lebanon question," Le Drian said as he arrived at the EU foreign ministers' meeting. "The country is drifting away, divided ... when a country collapses, Europe must be ready."&nbsp;

French and Western diplomats have said that after months of stalemate, France is now ready to discuss the prospect of sanctions, at EU or national level, on senior Lebanese officials, although it is not likely to be immediate.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Europe must take action as Lebanon collapses, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, adding that he would press EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday to discuss solutions to the economic and political crisis in Beirut.

Europe must take action as Lebanon collapses, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said, adding that he would press EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday to discuss solutions to the economic and political crisis in Beirut. Paris has spearheaded international efforts to rescue the former French protectorate from its deepest crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war, but after seven months has failed so far to persuade squabbling politicians to adopt a reform roadmap or form a new government to unlock international aid. The crisis has accelerated in recent days, with the currency plunging in value and some grocery shops temporarily shutting for lack of supplies. President Michel Aoun is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister-designate Saad al-Hariri later on Monday to try and break the deadlock in forming a government. "France wishes that we discuss the Lebanon question," Le Drian said as he arrived at the EU foreign ministers' meeting. "The country is drifting away, divided ... when a country collapses, Europe must be ready." French and Western diplomats have said that after months of stalemate, France is now ready to discuss the prospect of sanctions, at EU or national level, on senior Lebanese officials, although it is not likely to be immediate. (With inputs from agencies)

Europe must act as Lebanon collapses: France 

Do you think 2020 is the peak of dystopia? Buckle up, because things may just go worse at any moment, or a few decades, at least!

The planet is facing&nbsp;a lot of crises - for starters, climate change is causing unpredictable weather changes across the globe, setting off unprecedented&nbsp;extreme events, like unstoppable fires in Australia and the US, the mind boggling levels of pollution in India, and the record deforestation and fires in the Amazon - the planet’s lungs!&nbsp;

Resource depletion

Owing to a combination of natural factors and human action, natural resources may be depleted to a point of no return, and the resources available at hand may not be enough to sustain the entire planet’s population in the coming decades.

Reported first by VICE, two theoretical physicists have concluded that human society as we know it is set on a self-destruct path within the next two to four decades.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/climate-crisis-could-displace-12-billion-people-by-2050-report-warns-326608" hreflang="en">Climate crisis could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050, report warns</a>

The researchers come from Chile and the UK, and published their findings in Nature Scientific. To ascertain the probable time for social collapse, they employed statistical modelling to understand how growing human population and depletion of resources will bring only bad news to society in general.

This is what the authors wrote in the study’s abstract - "Based on the current resource consumption rates and best estimate of technological rate growth our study shows that we have very low probability, less than 10 percent in most optimistic estimate, to survive without facing a catastrophic collapse”.&nbsp;

Deforestation, and what it means for us

The primary cause of this downfall, according to them, would be due to deforestation. Climate crisis is increasing sea levels, causing bizarre weather, flooding, natural calamities. But the authors took into account deforestation primarily, because it is simply more measurable.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/our-planet-is-dying-soon-meet-indias-youngest-climate-change-activist-330891" hreflang="en">'Our planet is dying soon': Meet India's youngest climate change activist</a>

Based on the current rate of deforestation, all forests would be gone from the face of the planet in 100-200 years. Think this a long time? You’re wrong. We’re already feeling the effects of large-scale irresponsible deforestation, and scientists believe its signs and symptoms will become more apparent over time, that the collapse would not be a one-off event.

Due to rampant depletion in resources, we could lose basic support systems required for survival including oxygen production, conservation of soil, and regulation of water cycle, among many!

We’ve already gone from 60 million square kilometres of forests to 40 million square kilometres. In essence, no forests - no humans!

Do you think 2020 is the peak of dystopia? Buckle up, because things may just go worse at any moment, or a few decades, at least! The planet is facing a lot of crises - for starters, climate change is causing unpredictable weather changes across the globe, setting off unprecedented extreme events, like unstoppable fires in Australia and the US, the mind boggling levels of pollution in India, and the record deforestation and fires in the Amazon - the planet’s lungs!

Do you think 2020 is the peak of dystopia? Buckle up, because things may just go worse at any moment, or a few decades, at least! The planet is facing a lot of crises - for starters, climate change is causing unpredictable weather changes across the globe, setting off unprecedented extreme events, like unstoppable fires in Australia and the US, the mind boggling levels of pollution in India, and the record deforestation and fires in the Amazon - the planet’s lungs! Resource depletion Owing to a combination of natural factors and human action, natural resources may be depleted to a point of no return, and the resources available at hand may not be enough to sustain the entire planet’s population in the coming decades. Reported first by VICE, two theoretical physicists have concluded that human society as we know it is set on a self-destruct path within the next two to four decades. Also read: Climate crisis could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050, report warns The researchers come from Chile and the UK, and published their findings in Nature Scientific. To ascertain the probable time for social collapse, they employed statistical modelling to understand how growing human population and depletion of resources will bring only bad news to society in general. This is what the authors wrote in the study’s abstract - "Based on the current resource consumption rates and best estimate of technological rate growth our study shows that we have very low probability, less than 10 percent in most optimistic estimate, to survive without facing a catastrophic collapse”. Deforestation, and what it means for us The primary cause of this downfall, according to them, would be due to deforestation. Climate crisis is increasing sea levels, causing bizarre weather, flooding, natural calamities. But the authors took into account deforestation primarily, because it is simply more measurable. Also read: 'Our planet is dying soon': Meet India's youngest climate change activist Based on the current rate of deforestation, all forests would be gone from the face of the planet in 100-200 years. Think this a long time? You’re wrong. We’re already feeling the effects of large-scale irresponsible deforestation, and scientists believe its signs and symptoms will become more apparent over time, that the collapse would not be a one-off event. Due to rampant depletion in resources, we could lose basic support systems required for survival including oxygen production, conservation of soil, and regulation of water cycle, among many! We’ve already gone from 60 million square kilometres of forests to 40 million square kilometres. In essence, no forests - no humans!

Human society has 90% chance of collapsing in the next few decades. But why?

Firefighters were searching for at least nine people missing after a seven-story residential building collapsed in northeast Brazil on Tuesday, officials said.

Nine people have been pulled alive from the wreckage of the building in Fortaleza, capital of Ceara state, after it imploded, sending thick clouds of dust into the air.

Among those rescued was architecture student David Sampaio, who was located after sending a selfie to his WhatsApp chat group showing himself smiling and with his thumb up while trapped under the rubble.

State governor Camilo Santana said no one had been found dead so far, correcting earlier firefighter reports of one fatality. A spokesman confirmed to AFP late Tuesday that rescuers had not found any bodies.

Eighteen people were believed to have been in or near the building when it collapsed.

"So far, nine victims have been rescued alive," said a joint statement by Ceara's government and the Fortaleza mayor's office.

It was not immediately clear what caused the building to collapse at around 1330 GMT, when most residents would have been at work.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The president of the Regional Council of Engineering and Agriculture of Ceara, Emanuel Maia Mota, said the building "was undergoing renovations", without giving more details.

Piles of debris wrapped in a cloud of dust were seen in images broadcast on local TV minutes after the collapse of the building, which is surrounded by houses and other seemingly modern properties.

Building collapses in Brazil tend to happen in poor neighbourhoods, known as favelas, where illegal construction is rampant.

But the building was in Dionisio Torres, an upscale neighbourhood of Fortaleza, and close to Iracema Beach, one of the main attractions in the area.

In April, 24 people were killed when two buildings in a favela in Rio de Janeiro collapsed after several days of heavy rains.

Firefighters were searching for at least nine people missing after a seven-story residential building collapsed in northeast Brazil on Tuesday, officials said. Nine people have been pulled alive from the wreckage of the building in Fortaleza, capital of Ceara state, after it imploded, sending thick clouds of dust into the air.

Firefighters were searching for at least nine people missing after a seven-story residential building collapsed in northeast Brazil on Tuesday, officials said. Nine people have been pulled alive from the wreckage of the building in Fortaleza, capital of Ceara state, after it imploded, sending thick clouds of dust into the air. Among those rescued was architecture student David Sampaio, who was located after sending a selfie to his WhatsApp chat group showing himself smiling and with his thumb up while trapped under the rubble. State governor Camilo Santana said no one had been found dead so far, correcting earlier firefighter reports of one fatality. A spokesman confirmed to AFP late Tuesday that rescuers had not found any bodies. Eighteen people were believed to have been in or near the building when it collapsed. "So far, nine victims have been rescued alive," said a joint statement by Ceara's government and the Fortaleza mayor's office. It was not immediately clear what caused the building to collapse at around 1330 GMT, when most residents would have been at work. The president of the Regional Council of Engineering and Agriculture of Ceara, Emanuel Maia Mota, said the building "was undergoing renovations", without giving more details. Piles of debris wrapped in a cloud of dust were seen in images broadcast on local TV minutes after the collapse of the building, which is surrounded by houses and other seemingly modern properties. Building collapses in Brazil tend to happen in poor neighbourhoods, known as favelas, where illegal construction is rampant. But the building was in Dionisio Torres, an upscale neighbourhood of Fortaleza, and close to Iracema Beach, one of the main attractions in the area. In April, 24 people were killed when two buildings in a favela in Rio de Janeiro collapsed after several days of heavy rains.

Rescuers search for nine missing in Brazil building collapse

A cylinder blast that led to the collapse of a two-storey building in Mohammadabad has killed 13 people and injured six. The incident happened on Monday morning.

According to a press release from the Superintendent of Police (SP) Mau, "13 people have died while six others were injured in the house collapse following a cylinder blast."

"After speaking to people and after the initial investigation it was found that the cylinder blast resulted in the collapse of the roof of the house and two neighbouring houses were also damaged. People got trapped beneath&nbsp;the debris", the statement added.

Additionally, "the blast was caused probably due to gas leakage from the cylinder".

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regretted the incident and asked the District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police, and other officials to provide relief to the affected.

(With inputs from ANI)

A cylinder blast that led to the collapse of a two-storey building in Mohammadabad has killed 13 people and injured six. The incident happened on Monday morning.

A cylinder blast that led to the collapse of a two-storey building in Mohammadabad has killed 13 people and injured six. The incident happened on Monday morning. According to a press release from the Superintendent of Police (SP) Mau, "13 people have died while six others were injured in the house collapse following a cylinder blast." "After speaking to people and after the initial investigation it was found that the cylinder blast resulted in the collapse of the roof of the house and two neighbouring houses were also damaged. People got trapped beneath the debris", the statement added. Additionally, "the blast was caused probably due to gas leakage from the cylinder". Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regretted the incident and asked the District Magistrate, the Superintendent of Police, and other officials to provide relief to the affected. (With inputs from ANI)

Uttar Pradesh cylinder blast and building collapse kills 13

Thomas Cook , the world's oldest travel firm, collapsed on Monday, stranding hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers around the globe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history.

The firm runs hotels, resorts, airlines, and cruises for 19 million people a year in 16 countries. It currently has 600,000 people abroad, forcing governments and insurance companies to coordinate a huge rescue operation.

The UK's Civil Aviation Authority said Thomas Cook has now ceased trading and it would work with the government to bring the more than 150,000 British customers home over the next two weeks.

Hurt by high levels of debt, online competition and geopolitical uncertainty, Thomas Cook needed to find 200 Million Pounds (Rs. 17,76,26,00,000) on top of a 900 Million Pound package it had already agreed to see it through the winter months when it needs to pay hotels for their summer services.

More than 20,000 jobs are at risk.

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association, which represents Thomas Cook staff, had appealed to the government to step in with "real financial support".

Thomas Cook , the world's oldest travel firm, collapsed on Monday, stranding hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers around the globe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history.

Thomas Cook , the world's oldest travel firm, collapsed on Monday, stranding hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers around the globe and sparking the largest peacetime repatriation effort in British history. The firm runs hotels, resorts, airlines, and cruises for 19 million people a year in 16 countries. It currently has 600,000 people abroad, forcing governments and insurance companies to coordinate a huge rescue operation. The UK's Civil Aviation Authority said Thomas Cook has now ceased trading and it would work with the government to bring the more than 150,000 British customers home over the next two weeks. Hurt by high levels of debt, online competition and geopolitical uncertainty, Thomas Cook needed to find 200 Million Pounds (Rs. 17,76,26,00,000) on top of a 900 Million Pound package it had already agreed to see it through the winter months when it needs to pay hotels for their summer services. More than 20,000 jobs are at risk. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association, which represents Thomas Cook staff, had appealed to the government to step in with "real financial support".

British travel firm Thomas Cook collapses

Thirteen people were killed when an under-construction building in Cambodia collapsed early on Saturday, an official said, as rescuers struggled to reach missing workers feared trapped under a mountain of twisted steel and rubble.

The seven-storey steel and concrete structure in the coastal town of Sihanoukville, west of the capital Phnom Penh, was a Chinese-owned project.

At least 23 people were injured and many workers were still missing and feared trapped inside, according to the office of the spokesman for the local province of Preah Sihanouk.

"The steel structure has collapsed on itself and we don't dare move it," the spokesman Oar Saroeun told Reuters. "We can only wait and listen for any signs of life...

"We are afraid more of it will collapse on them.... We will work through the night to remove the steel."

A statement issued later on Saturday by Preah Sihanouk Province officials said 36 workers had been rescued from the debris. It was not clear how many more were missing.

Photos of the scene shared on social media showed groups of rescuers working their way through a crumpled heap of steel girders and concrete.

Preah Sihanouk province and its largest town, Sihanoukville, has seen a rush of investment in recent years from China, especially into the casino, property and tourism sectors.

Home to Cambodia's largest port and a Chinese Special Economic Zone connected to Beijing's Belt and Road initiative, the town is also undergoing a construction boom to serve those growing crowds of Chinese tourists and investors.

Police have detained four people, including three construction supervisors, for questioning in relation to the accident, according to a statement from the province.

Thirteen people were killed when an under-construction building in Cambodia collapsed early on Saturday, an official said, as rescuers struggled to reach missing workers feared trapped under a mountain of twisted steel and rubble.

Thirteen people were killed when an under-construction building in Cambodia collapsed early on Saturday, an official said, as rescuers struggled to reach missing workers feared trapped under a mountain of twisted steel and rubble. The seven-storey steel and concrete structure in the coastal town of Sihanoukville, west of the capital Phnom Penh, was a Chinese-owned project. At least 23 people were injured and many workers were still missing and feared trapped inside, according to the office of the spokesman for the local province of Preah Sihanouk. "The steel structure has collapsed on itself and we don't dare move it," the spokesman Oar Saroeun told Reuters. "We can only wait and listen for any signs of life... "We are afraid more of it will collapse on them.... We will work through the night to remove the steel." A statement issued later on Saturday by Preah Sihanouk Province officials said 36 workers had been rescued from the debris. It was not clear how many more were missing. Photos of the scene shared on social media showed groups of rescuers working their way through a crumpled heap of steel girders and concrete. Preah Sihanouk province and its largest town, Sihanoukville, has seen a rush of investment in recent years from China, especially into the casino, property and tourism sectors. Home to Cambodia's largest port and a Chinese Special Economic Zone connected to Beijing's Belt and Road initiative, the town is also undergoing a construction boom to serve those growing crowds of Chinese tourists and investors. Police have detained four people, including three construction supervisors, for questioning in relation to the accident, according to a statement from the province.

Thirteen dead, 23 injured in Cambodia building collapse

The death toll in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/2-dead-several-injured-after-under-construction-building-collapses-in-karnataka-204418">building collapse at Dharwad in north Karnataka</a> mounted to seven Wednesday as rescuers pulled out four more bodies from the debris and one person succumbed to injuries at hospital, police said.

Rescuers had pulled out 55 people from the rubble of the four-storeyed under construction building, which collapsed Tuesday evening at Kumareshwaranagar in the heart of Dharwad, about 400 km from Bengaluru.

"Seven people have lost their lives," Director General of Police (chief of fire and emergency services) M N Reddi told PTI.

Earlier, Hubballi-Dharwad commissioner of police M N Nagaraj said 55 people had been rescued.

He expressed apprehension that about 15 to 20 people were trapped inside the rubble.

No arrests have been made, Nagaraj said.

"We have registered a case. Arrests will also follow but our focus at present is on the rescue operations," he added.

Police said rescue operations had been intensified to extricate people believed to be still trapped beneath the debris.

In addition to 10 ambulances and five fire tenders deployed for relief and rescue operations, three teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) have been engaged, two from Ghaziabad and one from Bengaluru.

"Two more teams of #NDRF are being airlifted from Ghaziabad in addition to one team which was moved from Bangalore in connection with Dharwad building collapse," the NDRF tweeted earlier in the day.

About 150 police, fire and emergency personnel too have joined the rescue operations.

Former Karnataka minister and Congress leader from the region Vinay Kulkarni had said Tuesday that one of the partners in the building was his relative and that whoever was involved should face action.

An eye-witness had alleged that the building did not have the capacity to bear four storeys whereas an extra floor was being added.

"The builders had used substandard materials," he told reporters Tuesday.

Most of those trapped were migrant labourers from north India who were engaged in laying tiles.&nbsp;

The death toll in the building collapse at Dharwad in north Karnataka mounted to seven Wednesday as rescuers pulled out four more bodies from the debris and one person succumbed to injuries at hospital, police said.

The death toll in the building collapse at Dharwad in north Karnataka mounted to seven Wednesday as rescuers pulled out four more bodies from the debris and one person succumbed to injuries at hospital, police said. Rescuers had pulled out 55 people from the rubble of the four-storeyed under construction building, which collapsed Tuesday evening at Kumareshwaranagar in the heart of Dharwad, about 400 km from Bengaluru. "Seven people have lost their lives," Director General of Police (chief of fire and emergency services) M N Reddi told PTI. Earlier, Hubballi-Dharwad commissioner of police M N Nagaraj said 55 people had been rescued. He expressed apprehension that about 15 to 20 people were trapped inside the rubble. No arrests have been made, Nagaraj said. "We have registered a case. Arrests will also follow but our focus at present is on the rescue operations," he added. Police said rescue operations had been intensified to extricate people believed to be still trapped beneath the debris. In addition to 10 ambulances and five fire tenders deployed for relief and rescue operations, three teams of the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) have been engaged, two from Ghaziabad and one from Bengaluru. "Two more teams of #NDRF are being airlifted from Ghaziabad in addition to one team which was moved from Bangalore in connection with Dharwad building collapse," the NDRF tweeted earlier in the day. About 150 police, fire and emergency personnel too have joined the rescue operations. Former Karnataka minister and Congress leader from the region Vinay Kulkarni had said Tuesday that one of the partners in the building was his relative and that whoever was involved should face action. An eye-witness had alleged that the building did not have the capacity to bear four storeys whereas an extra floor was being added. "The builders had used substandard materials," he told reporters Tuesday. Most of those trapped were migrant labourers from north India who were engaged in laying tiles.

Karnataka: Death toll mounts to 7 in Dharwad building collapse

At least three&nbsp;people were killed and several injured after an under-construction building collapsed in Karnataka's Dharwad's.&nbsp;The collapse took place in Kumareshwar Nagar on Tuesday evening.&nbsp;

The toll had earlier been reported at two,&nbsp;but authorities recovered a third body Wednesday morning.

News agency ANI said 37 people have been pulled out from the rubble. Other&nbsp;reports had earlier said 40 people had been feared trapped in the rubble.&nbsp;

Around 43 people have been admitted to the Civil hospital while 13 people have been referred to KIMS and SDM hospital, Giridhar Kuknoor, District Surgeon Dharwad said.

Rescue operations continue with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams on the spot.

Karnataka Revenue Minister RV Deshpande said an inquiry will be ordered to investigate&nbsp;the matter further assuring&nbsp;that the injured ones will be treated free of cost.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had earlier said rescue efforts would be conducted on a war footing and had urged locals not to panic.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least three people were killed and several injured after an under-construction building collapsed in Karnataka's Dharwad's. The collapse took place in Kumareshwar Nagar on Tuesday evening.

At least three people were killed and several injured after an under-construction building collapsed in Karnataka's Dharwad's. The collapse took place in Kumareshwar Nagar on Tuesday evening. The toll had earlier been reported at two, but authorities recovered a third body Wednesday morning. News agency ANI said 37 people have been pulled out from the rubble. Other reports had earlier said 40 people had been feared trapped in the rubble. Around 43 people have been admitted to the Civil hospital while 13 people have been referred to KIMS and SDM hospital, Giridhar Kuknoor, District Surgeon Dharwad said. Rescue operations continue with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams on the spot. Karnataka Revenue Minister RV Deshpande said an inquiry will be ordered to investigate the matter further assuring that the injured ones will be treated free of cost. Meanwhile, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had earlier said rescue efforts would be conducted on a war footing and had urged locals not to panic. (With inputs from agencies)

3 dead, many injured after under-construction building collapses in Karnataka's Dharwad

The death toll in the roof collapse accident at a coal mine in northwestern China rose to 21 on Saturday.

According to initial reports, 19 people were reported to have died in the incident and two others were had gone missing.

The death toll rose after the rescuers found two more bodies of trapped miners on Sunday.

The authorities had earlier rescued 66 people from the site.

Around 87 people were working at the mining site at the time of the incident.

The incident happened at around 4:30 pm local time at the Lijiagou coal mine of the Baiji Mining Co. Ltd. in the city of Shenmu, local news&nbsp;stated.

The authorities have also launched an operation to investigate the cause of the accident.

Though the death resulting from accidents&nbsp;at the site have fallen sharply over the years, the mining industry is still considered as the deadliest in the world.

The death toll in the roof collapse accident at a coal mine in northwestern China rose to 21 on Saturday. According to initial reports, 19 people were reported to have died in the incident and two others were had gone missing.

The death toll in the roof collapse accident at a coal mine in northwestern China rose to 21 on Saturday. According to initial reports, 19 people were reported to have died in the incident and two others were had gone missing. The death toll rose after the rescuers found two more bodies of trapped miners on Sunday. The authorities had earlier rescued 66 people from the site. Around 87 people were working at the mining site at the time of the incident. The incident happened at around 4:30 pm local time at the Lijiagou coal mine of the Baiji Mining Co. Ltd. in the city of Shenmu, local news stated. The authorities have also launched an operation to investigate the cause of the accident. Though the death resulting from accidents at the site have fallen sharply over the years, the mining industry is still considered as the deadliest in the world.

21 dead in northwest China coal mine accident

The death toll in the gold mine collapse in northeastern Afghanistan rose to 40 on Sunday.

Reports also suggested that 10 other miners were injured in the incident which took place&nbsp;in the north-eastern Badakhshan province at around 11 am.

"Ten other miners were injured in the incident which happened as they searched for gold in the Kohestan district of Badakhshan province,"&nbsp;CNN quoted Afghan parliament member Fawzia Koofi as saying.

According to local news reports, the miners were working at the site when the accident took place.

The spokesman for Badakhshan governor, Nek Mohammad Nazari said 15 miners, who were injured in the accident, were rushed to a hospital.

Villagers had dug a 60-metre (200-feet) deep shaft in a riverbed to search for gold.&nbsp;

It was not clear why the shaft collapsed, but the provincial governor's spokesman Nik Mohammad Nazari told AFP the miners were not professionals.

"The villagers have been involved in this business for decades with no government control over them," Nazari said.&nbsp;

(With input from agencies)

The death toll in the gold mine collapse in northeastern Afghanistan rose to 40 on Sunday. Reports also suggested that 10 other miners were injured in the incident which took place in the north-eastern Badakhshan province at around 11 am.

The death toll in the gold mine collapse in northeastern Afghanistan rose to 40 on Sunday. Reports also suggested that 10 other miners were injured in the incident which took place in the north-eastern Badakhshan province at around 11 am. "Ten other miners were injured in the incident which happened as they searched for gold in the Kohestan district of Badakhshan province," CNN quoted Afghan parliament member Fawzia Koofi as saying. According to local news reports, the miners were working at the site when the accident took place. The spokesman for Badakhshan governor, Nek Mohammad Nazari said 15 miners, who were injured in the accident, were rushed to a hospital. Villagers had dug a 60-metre (200-feet) deep shaft in a riverbed to search for gold. It was not clear why the shaft collapsed, but the provincial governor's spokesman Nik Mohammad Nazari told AFP the miners were not professionals. "The villagers have been involved in this business for decades with no government control over them," Nazari said. (With input from agencies)

Death toll mounts to 40 in Afghanistan mine collapse

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