Nairobi County authorities have confirmed that six bodies have been retrieved from the rubble of the collapsed multi-storey building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, as the search and rescue operation enters its 14th day.
Nairobi North County Commissioner Simon Osumba announced the latest recovery figures while briefing the public on the multi-agency operation, which began following the building's collapse along 9th Street in Eastleigh on October 23.
“With the teams working together, six bodies have now been recovered from the site,” he said during a briefing on Thursday, November 5.
National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU) Director Duncan Ochieng revealed that the six deceased comprised four women and two men.
The announcement came after rescue teams discovered three additional bodies in the debris, with two spotted on Wednesday night and another recovered early Thursday morning.
Three other bodies had been retrieved in the days preceding the latest discoveries. Families of those who remain missing have been urged to visit the mortuary to help establish the identities of the deceased through post-mortem examinations and DNA profiling.
Meanwhile, four people have been rescued alive since the building collapsed, with several emergency agencies participating in the ongoing operation.
The multi-agency team comprises the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Disaster Management Unit (NDMU), National Disaster Operations Centre (NDOC), Nairobi County Government and the Kenya Red Cross.
Rescue officials have described the recovery exercise as difficult, particularly due to concerns that some of the missing individuals could be trapped in the basement. Accessing the remaining sections of the structure has presented significant challenges for emergency personnel.
Authorities further disclosed that five of the recovered bodies are currently at the Nairobi City Mortuary, where identification and other formal procedures are being conducted.
According to officials, two families have already been notified, although DNA tests and other verification processes must be completed before further details can be made public.
Osumba also revealed that 11 people had initially been reported missing, with five still unaccounted for. However, authorities are yet to establish whether the five individuals were inside the specific section of the building where the recovery operation is ongoing.
The county commissioner appealed to relatives who have been camping at the scene to exercise patience as rescue personnel continue searching through the debris.
“We extend our condolences to those who have lost loved ones and ask those gathered here to remain patient as we work towards completing the recovery operation,” he said.
