Death toll in Goa building collapse climbs to 25

PANAJI: Manual rescue operations at the Canacona building mishap site continued for the third day today to scour for survivors in the wreckage even as the death toll climbed to 25 with another body recovered.

Three bodies were retrieved last night while one more body was pulled out this afternoon, Ashok Menon, in-charge of the rescue operation told PTI.

Rescuers have managed to pull out 16 people alive so far. More than 40 people were trapped under the debris when the under construction five-storey building caved in on Saturday afternoon.

The rescue work through drilling was withdrawn earlier this week after adjacent buildings began tilting precariously posing a threat of collapse, following which manual rescue operations were commenced on Tuesday.

The work to demolish these buildings will begin today. Goa police have already arrested Deputy Town Planner Prakash Bandodkar for illegally sanctioning permit to the building while several others including builders, contractor and a municipal engineer are untraceable.

One of the accused municipal engineers Ashank Gaonkar was granted anticipatory bail by the court here today while another -- Ajay Desai -- is still absconding.