<Anchor> An
eight-story mixed-use building collapsed in Hunan Province, southeastern China.
Rescue work is ongoing, but the life or death of more than 50 people remains unconfirmed.
It is known that many of the missing are college students.
This is Beijing Correspondent Ji-Sung Kim.
<Reporter>
A huge cloud of dust rises between the commercial buildings.
The building collapsed to such an extent that it was hard to recognize its shape as if it had been bombed.
Rescue work is in full swing from the wreckage.
[Rescuer: Can you see the fluorescent rod?
(I can see a little.) Don't be afraid.
Many people are rescuing you.] On the
same day (29th) around 12:20 PM, an eight-story residential and commercial complex collapsed in Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province, China.
The building contained restaurants, cafes, and inns, as well as tenants.
[Accidental building visitor: It felt like something was falling from the ceiling.
I was scared.
I counted (during the meal) and hurried down, but the building collapsed immediately afterward.]
Rescue authorities only released the extent of the damage last evening, more than a day after the accident.
Six people were rescued from the scene, but 17 people are still buried, and an additional 39 people have been contacted, it said.
It is known that about 30 students from a nearby medical school are among the missing.
The building where the accident occurred was under construction inside, and it was originally built with 6 floors, but it turned out that it was extended to 8 floors.
[Jeonshin Jeong / Mayor of Changsha: The building that collapsed (constructed by the residents by hiring a contractor) is a resident’s own building.
There has been a structural change.]
President Xi Jinping personally stepped in and ordered all efforts to rescue the missing.
However, the golden time for rescue is passing, and there are so many missing people that there are concerns about the loss of life.
(Video coverage: Gyu Ma Yu-Yo, video editing: Yong-Hwa Jung, CG: So-Hee Ban, video source: Weibo)