The death toll in the building collapse in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi has jumped to 27 as rescuers retrieved more bodies, a spokesperson of the state-owned rescue organization Rescue 1122 said on Sunday, News.az reports citing Xinhua.
Confirming the death toll, Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan, the operation's spokesperson, told Xinhua that rescue activities are in the final stage and most of the building debris has been removed.
He said at least 15 women and three children are among the victims, adding that three people are in critical condition.
Heavy machinery and modern equipment were employed to clear the debris during the operation, which continued for over 48 hours.
According to local authorities, the collapsed structure was 30 years old and had been previously marked unsafe.
A high-level committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
