Sawt Falasteen - Death toll in Pakistan building collapse rises to 21

Authorities said the building had been declared unsafe and eviction notices were sent to occupants over three years, but landlords and some residents told AFP they had not received them.

Residents reported hearing cracking sounds shortly before the apartment block crumbled around 10:00 am on Friday in Karachi's impoverished Lyari neighbourhood, which was once plagued by gang violence and considered one of the most dangerous areas in Pakistan.

The death toll stood at 21 late Saturday, said senior district government official Javed Nabi Khoso. The rescue operation was ongoing.

"My daughter is under the rubble," 54-year-old Dev Raj told AFP at the scene.

"She was my beloved daughter. She was so sensitive but is under the burden of debris. She got married just six months ago."

Earlier Saturday, families said that at least eight people were still believed to be trapped as temperatures climbed to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit).

Khoso said that notices had been served in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to occupants.

"We don't want to impose our orders by force. We work in phases and send them notices to leave the building. They didn't take the notices seriously," he told AFP.

But Imran Khaskheli, an owner and resident watching the rescue operation on Saturday, denied receiving notices.

"Do you think we are out of our senses to stay in an unsafe building with our families?" he said.

Khaskheli told AFP he had seen cracks in the pillars of the building early Friday.

"I knocked on all the doors and asked families to leave immediately," he said, adding that around 40 families lived in the building but that many did not heed his warning.

More than 50 buildings in the district have been declared unsafe, with six evacuated since yesterday, according to Khoso.

- 'We are helpless' -

Many of the victims are believed to be women, who are more likely to be at home during the day.

All six members of 70-year-old Jumho Maheshwari's family were in their first-floor apartment when he left for work early in the morning.

"Nothing is left for me now -- my family is all trapped and all I can do is pray for their safe recovery," he said Friday.

Another resident, Maya Sham Jee, told AFP her brother's family was also trapped under the rubble.

"It's a tragedy for us. The world has been changed for our family," she said.

"We are helpless and just looking at the rescue workers to bring our loved ones back safely."

Shankar Kamho, a 30-year-old resident, was out at the time when his wife called to say the building was cracking.

"I told her to get out immediately," he told AFP.

"She went to warn the neighbours, but one woman told her 'this building will stand for at least 10 more years'," he said.

"Still, my wife took our daughter and left. About 20 minutes later, the building collapsed."

T.Samara--SF-PST