A desperate search for survivors is underway in Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood after a five-storey residential building collapsed on Friday morning, killing at least 14 people and injuring 13 others.
The building, located in the densely populated and impoverished area of Lyari, crumbled shortly after 10:00 am, trapping dozens of residents under the rubble. Rescue operations led by Pakistan’s government-run 1122 service continued through the night and into Saturday, with teams working tirelessly in hopes of finding more survivors.
“It may take eight to 12 hours more to complete,” said Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh, who is heading the rescue mission. Emergency workers have retrieved more bodies from the debris, bringing the death toll to 14, including seven women. Officials estimate up to 100 people had been residing in the building, which housed around 20 families.
Among the affected is 70-year-old Jumho Maheshwari, who left for work early Friday, only to return and find the structure collapsed. “Nothing is left for me now — my family is all trapped and all I can do is pray,” he said.
Other residents, like Maya Sham Jee, are also grappling with the pain of uncertainty. Her brother’s family was inside the building at the time of the collapse. “It’s a tragedy for us. The world has been changed for our family,” she said.
Shankar Kamho, 30, narrowly escaped the disaster. His wife had called to say the building was cracking. “I told her to get out immediately. She took our daughter and left. About 20 minutes later, the building collapsed,” he recalled.
The incident has cast a spotlight on the issue of unsafe housing in Karachi, where poorly constructed and unregulated buildings are common, particularly in low-income areas like Lyari. Once notorious for gang violence, Lyari has remained underdeveloped despite efforts to improve living conditions.
Police and local authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse, amid calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations to prevent future tragedies. As families cling to hope, the city watches anxiously as rescue efforts press on.