KARACHI: The Karachi building collapse in Lyari’s Baghdadi area has claimed at least 16 lives, as rescue teams continued their search on Saturday for survivors and bodies buried beneath the rubble.
Officials believe 10 to 12 people may still be trapped under the debris, nearly 24 hours after the five-storey residential building came crashing down. The incident, which occurred in one of Lyari’s most congested zones, has revived concerns over the safety of older buildings.
The structure housed more than 40 people across 20 apartments. So far, six women and ten men have been recovered from the debris. Three others are currently receiving hospital care.
Trapped Lives and Ticking Hours
The Karachi building collapse triggered an emergency response, with rescue teams using heartbeat-detection devices and heavy equipment to comb through the ruins. Authorities have warned that the process is delicate and time-consuming, as each layer is carefully cleared.
South Deputy Commissioner Javed Khoso said the building had been declared dangerous three years ago. “A final evacuation notice was served just six weeks before this tragedy,” he added.
According to Khoso, Lyari is still home to 22 unsafe buildings, with six of them still occupied. He confirmed legal action against those refusing to evacuate.
Unsafe Buildings Karachi: A Broader Crisis
Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi urged families living in similar buildings to vacate immediately. “While we cannot force eviction, we strongly recommend moving out for safety,” he said at the site.
The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) reported that the collapsed structure was over 30 years old. It had already been marked unsafe. Notices to disconnect utilities were issued on June 25, but neither power nor water services were cut.
This Lyari building tragedy has prompted the Sindh government to form a committee, which will report its findings within three days.
Karachi Structure Collapse Trend Raises Alarm
The Karachi building collapse adds to a string of similar incidents since 2017. Many have involved illegally constructed or long-neglected properties.
SBCA records show 578 unsafe buildings in Karachi. Of these, 456 are in District South. Other high-risk districts include Central (66), Keamari (23), Korangi (14), East (13), Malir (4), and West (2).
Experts argue that warning signs and paperwork are not enough. They call for urgent evacuations and government-backed housing support to prevent further collapses.
As grieving families continue to gather at the scene of the Karachi structure collapse, they voice a shared question: Why were early warnings ignored?
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