Eastleigh building collapse: 20 people still unaccounted for five days on

20 people remain unaccounted for after Eastleigh building collapse. [Bernard Orwongo, Standard]

Twenty people remain unaccounted for following the collapse of a multi-storey building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, authorities have confirmed.

According to the Kenya Red Cross, 52 people were reported missing. However, 32 cases have been closed after those reported missing were traced and reunited with their families, including two people who were rescued alive from the rubble.

Of the 20 outstanding cases, 11 involve casual workers whose whereabouts remain unclear.

The National Disaster Management Unit says underground sewer and water systems, as well as safety concerns arising from the collapsed structure, have hampered the operation.

Rescue teams are using phone-signal tracking and specialised acoustic equipment to establish whether anyone remains trapped beneath the debris, while efforts continue to establish the identities and last known locations of the missing casual workers.

Authorities say the operation will continue until they account for all outstanding cases, while urging the public to avoid livestreaming that could compromise rescue efforts.

The update comes five days after the collapse along 9th Street in Eastleigh.

The building, which was under construction, housed commercial premises on the ground floor, raising fears that traders and other occupants could have been trapped when the structure came down.