Rescue efforts have been halted in the South African city of George after a devastating building collapse claimed 33 lives. For 11 days, rescue personnel and volunteers tirelessly combed through the rubble of the five-storey residential building that crumbled during construction, creating a massive cloud of dust.

The Western Cape government now estimates that 62 people were present at the site during the disaster, with 29 individuals surviving after being rescued. Initially, municipal officials believed that 81 people might have been on-site when the building came down. Anton Bredell, a Western Cape provincial official, announced,

The tragedy has affected a diverse group, including migrants from neighboring Malawi and Zimbabwe, alongside South African workers. The Malawian foreign affairs ministry confirmed that nine Malawian nationals died in the incident, with 11 rescued. Of those rescued, two remain hospitalized.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the collapse. President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the site on Thursday, meeting with the families of the victims to offer his condolences and support.