The search for people who were suspected to be in the building that collapsed on Friday afternoon has now narrowed down to 20, as rescue operation entered day five.
Yesterday evening, it emerged that 11 of them were construction workers, with authorities working hard to identify their location at the time the building collapsed.
Nairobi North Regional Commissioner, Simeon Osumba, said some of the workers had been identified by one name only. Without other details like telephone contacts, it was becoming difficult to establish if they were in the building when it collapsed.
Authorities say 32 of the 52 cases that were reported to the Kenya Red Cross Society tracing desk have been closed.
The number includes the two people who were rescued alive.
On Monday evening, the operation resumed after teams resolved challenges that had hampered the exercise in the morning.
According to Duncan Ochieng, Director of the National Disaster Management Unit, the operation has faced several challenges, including underground sewer lines and water systems, as well as concerns over the safety of rescue personnel.
“We have to pump this (water) out. Two is about the safety of the responders. Based on the structural collapse, we have been keenly monitoring so that we don’t endanger the lives of our responders,” he said.
The multi-agency team says it has maintained a 24-hour presence at the Eastleigh site, with about 65 per cent of the work completed.
Ochieng urged members of the public to remain patient and avoid actions that could jeopardise the ongoing operation.
“What we are doing here is based on international standards. The International Search and Rescue Advisory Group is keenly watching our activities and they are giving us some technical advice on what to do. And we even got some equipment from well-wishers that can be able to detect life,” he added.
George Okello, head of the Kenya Red Cross Eastern Region, said 52 cases had been recorded in the organisation’s tracing register, with the latest reported on Tuesday morning.“32 cases have already been closed. They have been reunited with their families, which includes the two persons rescued from the rubble alive,” said Okello.
“This leaves us with a balance of 20, as the County Commissioner has mentioned. These are from the community.”
Nairobi North Sub-Region County Commissioner Simon Motuma assured the public that authorities remained committed to tracing the missing and establishing the whereabouts of everyone suspected to have been inside the building.
The team is now working with the Kenya Red Cross and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to trace the missing individuals, including using phone signals to help determine whether they were at the scene at the time of the collapse.
Families have been urged to provide accurate identification details and contact information to support the tracing process.
As the operation enters its fifth day, families continue to wait anxiously for news of their loved ones, holding on to hope that those still missing may be found alive.
