Eastleigh building collapse: One body retrieved as rescue enters day 8

Authorities say the exercise remains a search and rescue mission, with teams continuing to look for possible survivors. [File,Standard]

Search and rescue operations at the collapsed Eastleigh building has entered its eighth day, with authorities confirming the recovery of one body from the rubble.

Nairobi North County Commissioner Simon Osumba says the body of an adult female was retrieved at around 6:30am this morning and has since been transferred to Nairobi City Mortuary for further processing and identification.

National Disaster Management Unit Director and Incident Commander Dr Duncan Ochieng says DNA tests will be conducted to establish the identity of the deceased, the search and rescue continues as the number of missing people still remains at sixteen after a family today reported one of their kin missing, director Ochieng says that the new missing person is not a Kenyan citizen, but declined to reveal their nationality.

The operation is now approximately 85 per cent complete, although authorities say the remaining work remains challenging due to the confined spaces and the nature of the collapse.

The incident commander has urged members of the public to keep away from the site, warning that the area remains a crime scene and that interference could compromise both the investigation and the safety of those involved in the operation.

Authorities say the exercise remains a search and rescue mission, with teams continuing to look for possible survivors while preparing to recover any other bodies that may be found.