SUKKUR: One survivor, a three-year-old girl, was taken out from under tonnes of debris of the three-storey building that had collapsed on Hussaini Road near Clock Tower in this city on Thursday. She remained trapped for about 21 hours and rescuers had almost lost hope of any survivor.

The rescue and relief operation had to be continued into Friday night as three more persons remained unaccounted for. During the day, Pakistan Army jawans along with volunteers of the Edhi Foundation and residents of the neighbourhood dug out three more bodies by cutting and removing huge concrete boulders.

The deceased were identified as Firdous Mehmood, 40, wife of Khalid Mehmood, Asif Mehmood, 35, and Irtaza, 18, son of Talat Mehmood. Three bodies were retrieved on Thursday night.

The three-year-old survivor was identified as Naveen, daughter of Asif Mehmood.

Several persons still trapped under the rubble; death toll rises to six

According to rescue workers and hospital sources, a total of six men, women and children, died in the incident and 16 injured were being provided medical treatment. Search of another three persons is under way. The dead and injured people appeared to be very close relatives — four brothers and their families.

All six bodies were first sent to the morgue of the Edhi Foundation after legal formalities were completed at the Ghulam Mohammad Mahar Medical College (Civil) Hospital.

Later, funeral prayers were held at the Jinnah Municipal Stadium in the evening before the victims were buried.

Provincial Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, MPA Farrukh Shah, Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Islam Shaikh, Deputy Mayor Tariq Chowhan, Commissioner Shafiq Ahmed Mahesar, Deputy Comm­issioner Rana Adeel Tassawur, Municipal Comm­issioner Moham­mad Ali Shaikh, SSP Irfan Samoo as well as leaders of various political, social, religious and trade organisations and a large number of local residents attended the funeral.

The deceased were laid to rest in the Nawan Goth graveyard.

DC Rana Adeel told the media that the rescue work would be continued till the three missing individuals were traced.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2020