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Dhaka building collapse: Rescuers remain hopeful Dhaka building collapse: Frantic effort to reach survivors
(about 1 hour later)
Rescue teams remain hopeful of finding survivors trapped underneath a factory complex that collapsed on Wednesday in Bangladesh, killing some 350 people. Rescuers are frantically trying to save about nine people located in the wreckage of a collapsed building in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.
So far on Sunday, one more person has been pulled from the rubble, with efforts now focusing on another six. The BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan at the scene says it is a race against time before officials bring in heavy machinery.
Rescue officials are now deciding whether to continue efforts to find survivors or to bring in cranes. He says the smell of decomposing bodies is making some rescuers ill.
The BBC's Anbarasan Ethirajan in Dhaka says bodies of the dead are decomposing and some rescuers are falling ill. More than 350 people have died since Wednesday's disaster and hundreds more are missing.
On Sunday, one more person was pulled alive from the rubble of the eight-storey building in the suburb of Savar as the rescue operation entered its fifth day.
A group of about nine survivors was also located and teams were using light cutting equipment to try to reach them, our correspondent says.
Water and food are being dropped through gaps in the rubble, he adds.
But with hopes fading for those still trapped, officials plan to bring in cranes within the next few hours.
The army officer co-ordinating the rescue, Maj Gen Chowdhury Hasan Suhrawardy, said they would try to save the nine people first by using light equipment.
"But if we fail we will start our next phase within hours," he said.
This would involve heavy equipment including hydraulic cranes and cutters to bore a hole from the top of the collapsed building, he told reporters.
He said they still aimed to recover survivors as well as bodies.
"In this stage, we have no other choice but to use some heavy equipment," he said.
"We will start it within a few hours. Manual operation and use of small equipment is not enough."
Arrests
Twenty-nine people were rescued on Saturday and two engineers were arrested, but the building's owner is still missing.Twenty-nine people were rescued on Saturday and two engineers were arrested, but the building's owner is still missing.
The engineers were alleged to have approved the building's safety a day before it came down.The engineers were alleged to have approved the building's safety a day before it came down.
Police said they had ordered an evacuation of the building on Tuesday after cracks appeared in the structure on Tuesday, but that the factories ignored them and were operating the next day.Police said they had ordered an evacuation of the building on Tuesday after cracks appeared in the structure on Tuesday, but that the factories ignored them and were operating the next day.
The owners of three of the five clothing factories inside were also detained after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised that those responsible would be hunted down.The owners of three of the five clothing factories inside were also detained after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised that those responsible would be hunted down.
They face preliminary charges of causing death by negligence.They face preliminary charges of causing death by negligence.
However, the overall owner of the complex, Sohel Rana, reportedly a leader of the youth wing of the ruling Awami League, is in hiding and has so far avoided arrest. Police have detained Mr Rana's wife in an effort to persuade him to hand himself in.However, the overall owner of the complex, Sohel Rana, reportedly a leader of the youth wing of the ruling Awami League, is in hiding and has so far avoided arrest. Police have detained Mr Rana's wife in an effort to persuade him to hand himself in.
One minister has alleged that Rana Plaza was built without permits.One minister has alleged that Rana Plaza was built without permits.
'She must return'
Thousands of relatives of missing workers gathered at the site to watch as survivors and the dead were pulled from the rubble on Saturday.Thousands of relatives of missing workers gathered at the site to watch as survivors and the dead were pulled from the rubble on Saturday.
Police said that 353 bodies had so far been found, 301 of which had been identified. A further 2,431 people are known to have survived.Police said that 353 bodies had so far been found, 301 of which had been identified. A further 2,431 people are known to have survived.
There is no official figure on the number of people still missing, but Akram Hossain, a deputy director of the fire service, said their chances of survival were "diminishing by the minute".There is no official figure on the number of people still missing, but Akram Hossain, a deputy director of the fire service, said their chances of survival were "diminishing by the minute".
The fire service's head of operations, Mahbubur Rahman, said the rescue effort was becoming increasingly difficult for emergency workers as survivors were losing their strength to call for help.The fire service's head of operations, Mahbubur Rahman, said the rescue effort was becoming increasingly difficult for emergency workers as survivors were losing their strength to call for help.
Bare hands
"There are many dead bodies but our top priority is finding those who may still be alive," he told the Agence France-Presse news agency. "There are some survivors. We can hear their feeble cries or hear them talking to each other.""There are many dead bodies but our top priority is finding those who may still be alive," he told the Agence France-Presse news agency. "There are some survivors. We can hear their feeble cries or hear them talking to each other."
Mr Rahman said rescuers were digging tunnels through the rubble with bare hands, drills and shovels because they feared heavier equipment could cause further collapse.Mr Rahman said rescuers were digging tunnels through the rubble with bare hands, drills and shovels because they feared heavier equipment could cause further collapse.
"Pillars and beams are the biggest problem. Sometimes, even if we can locate survivors, we can't reach them because of these beams. They take a lot of time to cut through.""Pillars and beams are the biggest problem. Sometimes, even if we can locate survivors, we can't reach them because of these beams. They take a lot of time to cut through."
One of those who was rescued on Saturday, Merina Begum, said she and seven other workers had survived without food or water. She told AFP: "When the rescuers brought juice, ice cream and cold water, it was the tastiest food I've ever had."One of those who was rescued on Saturday, Merina Begum, said she and seven other workers had survived without food or water. She told AFP: "When the rescuers brought juice, ice cream and cold water, it was the tastiest food I've ever had."
Meanwhile, a man wept as he waited for news of his wife, who worked at one of the factories. "My son says that his mother will come back some day. She must return!" Abul Basar told the Associated Press.Meanwhile, a man wept as he waited for news of his wife, who worked at one of the factories. "My son says that his mother will come back some day. She must return!" Abul Basar told the Associated Press.
Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers that benefit from its widespread low-cost labour.Bangladesh has one of the largest garment industries in the world, providing cheap clothing for major Western retailers that benefit from its widespread low-cost labour.
But the industry has been widely criticised for its low pay and limited rights given to workers and for the often dangerous working conditions in garment factories.But the industry has been widely criticised for its low pay and limited rights given to workers and for the often dangerous working conditions in garment factories.