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S Korea building collapse: Dozens of students trapped S Korea building collapse: At least eight reported dead
(35 minutes later)
Dozens of university students in South Korea are reported to be trapped in a building collapse in the south-eastern city of Gyeongju. At least eight people have died in South Korea in a building collapse in the south-eastern city of Gyeongju, the Yonhap news agency reports.
At least four people have been killed, an official says. Officials at the state-run National Emergency Management Agency, have confirmed at least four deaths.
Fire services told AFP that part of the ceiling of an auditorium collapsed at the resort complex, during an orientation event for first-year students. Part of the auditorium of a resort collapsed during an orientation event for first-year university students.
It appears to have been caused by heavy snow on the roof, they said. Fire services have blamed heavy snow on the roof. The weather is also thought to have slowed rescue efforts.
Local media reports say the collapse happened at around 21:15 local time (12:15 GMT), though there is confusion over the number of students in the hall at the time, with some reports saying 100 and others as many as 450.Local media reports say the collapse happened at around 21:15 local time (12:15 GMT), though there is confusion over the number of students in the hall at the time, with some reports saying 100 and others as many as 450.
Rescue workers with heavy equipment are at the scene, but heavy snow around the mountain resort is thought to be slowing access. Figures for the number still trapped have also varied from 10 to around 50.
Around 1,000 students from Busan University of Foreign Studies were at the resort, said an official. Many managed to get out from the damaged building by themselves, he said, and about 20 have been rescued and taken to hospital. "So far we have four confirmed dead and 73 injured, 15 of them seriously," a spokesman for the local fire service told AFP by telephone.
Yonhap news agency reported that the students were attending a concert in the auditorium when the roof fell in. Rescue workers with heavy equipment are at the scene, but heavy snow around the mountain resort is thought to have slowed access.
Around 1,000 students from Busan University of Foreign Studies were at the Mauna Ocean Resort, said an official. Many managed to get out of the damaged building by themselves, he said, and about 20 have been rescued and taken to hospital.
The students are thought to have been attending a concert in the auditorium when the roof fell in.
"The ceiling came crashing down at the front near the stage," one student told South Korea's YTN news channel. "Then pandemonium broke out and everyone started rushing towards the exits, shouting and screaming," he added.
The area has experienced exceptionally heavy snowfall over the past week.The area has experienced exceptionally heavy snowfall over the past week.
One of the world's worst peacetime building collapses happened in South Korea in June 1995, when Seoul's Sampoong Department Store collapsed, killing hundreds.One of the world's worst peacetime building collapses happened in South Korea in June 1995, when Seoul's Sampoong Department Store collapsed, killing hundreds.
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