Sawt Falasteen - Dominican Republic starts burying 200+ victims of nightclub disaster

More than 300 rescuers, aided by sniffer dogs, had worked tirelessly since disaster struck early Tuesday to pull survivors from the rubble of the Jet Set club in the Dominican Republic's capital Santo Domingo.

They called off the search for live victims on Wednesday night, and shifted their efforts to recovering bodies from the mounds of twisted steel, zinc and brick that remain of the structure.

Local media had reported there were between 500 and 1,000 people at the club -- which could hold 1,700 -- for a concert by renowned merengue singer Ruddy Perez, who was on stage when the roof came down, and died on site.

His daughter made it out alive.

Juan Manuel Mendez, director of the Center for Emergency Operations, told reporters Thursday the official toll stood at 221. A total of 189 people were pulled out of the debris alive.

A consolidated report of victims will be published in the coming hours, said Mendez.

"Our rescue team is already concluding the search operations," he added.

Health Minister Victor Atallah said Thursday there might be more bodies under the rubble in the Caribbean nation's worst tragedy in decades.

"No one will be left unidentified. No one will be left without an answer," he told reporters. "We are going to move every last stone that needs to be moved."

- 'They are all dead' -

President Luis Abinader on Thursday attended a tribute to the singer Perez at the National Theater, which will be followed by a wake.

Among the deceased are also the governor of the Monte Cristi province, Nelsy Cruz, as well as former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco.

More than 500 people were injured.

Families gathered at funeral homes Thursday to begin the mourning process, while others waited at hospitals desperate for news about loved ones still missing.

"It has truly brought mourning to (the municipality of) Haina, it has brought mourning to our family, it has brought mourning to the country," 47-year-old Jose Santana, who lost four family members in the accident, told AFP at the morgue.

"This has been a very hard process, because yesterday we spent the day going from clinic to clinic, from hospital to hospital and also in front of the Jet Set, looking for our brothers with the hope of finding them alive," he said.

"Unfortunately, this morning we were told that they are all dead."

A list of names of deceased people was put up on a nearby tent full of victims' loved ones.

"No pathology institute has the capacity to handle so many bodies so quickly," said Atallah, adding that temporary centers will be set up to speed up identification processes.

The government said it will start an inquiry into the disaster as soon as the rescue operation is over.

"It is not possible for us to be left with doubts," said Atallah.

"Every Dominican man, woman, or foreigner who was visiting will receive an answer."

- 'I'll be back' -

Aerial images of the site showed a scene resembling the aftermath of an earthquake, with a gaping hole where the roof of the club -- a fixture of Santo Domingo's nightlife for half a century -- had been.

A video posted on social media showed the venue suddenly plunged into darkness while Perez was singing, followed by crashing sounds and screams.

Tributes to the singer, known for hits such as "Volvere" (I'll be back) and "Enamorado de Ella" (In love with Her) poured in from across Latin America.

The baseball world, meanwhile, mourned the death of Octavio Dotel, a 51-year-old baseball pitcher who won the World Series with the St Louis Cardinals in 2011, and Tony Blanco, 45, who also played in the United States.

Abinader declared three days of national mourning.

G.AbuOdeh--SF-PST