The death toll from the collapsed building in Eastleigh, Nairobi, has risen to eight after rescuers recovered six more bodies from the rubble.
The recovery operation continued on Thursday, November 5, as emergency teams searched for five people still missing following the October 23 collapse.
Nairobi North County Commissioner Simon Asumba confirmed that the latest recovery involved four women and two men.
The National Police Service (NPS) also confirmed the development in an update issued on November 5, saying the bodies were recovered during ongoing multi-agency search, rescue and recovery operations.
Four people have so far been rescued alive from the rubble, according to the police.
Asumba said authorities had transferred the six bodies to Nairobi City Mortuary. Officials have begun procedures to notify families and facilitate identification.
He added that two families had already received information about the first two bodies recovered. However, authorities had not released the remains because DNA procedures were still pending.
The commissioner said 11 people remained unaccounted for at the latest stage of the operation. Rescuers have since recovered six of them dead, leaving five people missing.
He appealed to affected families and members of the public to remain patient as emergency teams continued their work.
The operation involves the Kenya Defence Forces, National Disaster Management Unit, National Disaster Operations Centre, Nairobi City County Government and the Kenya Red Cross.
St John Ambulance is also supporting the response by providing assistance to affected families.
Authorities had earlier disclosed that investigators were using mobile phone data to establish the whereabouts of people reported missing after the collapse.
In an earlier update, Asumba said investigators had established through phone data that nine missing individuals were at the building shortly before it collapsed.
Police and the Kenya Red Cross also worked with a mobile service provider to trace phone signals associated with missing people.
However, some phones were inactive, while others may have been left behind when occupants fled the building.
The structure collapsed on October 23 while under construction along 9th Street in Eastleigh, trapping people beneath concrete and debris.
Rescuers recovered the first body on October 30, eight days after the incident. They retrieved the second body on November 3 before Thursday’s latest operation increased the total to eight.
The National Police Service has urged families seeking information about missing relatives to visit the Kenya Red Cross desk at the scene or call the emergency response line on 1199.
Police have also advised members of the public to stay away from the affected site and allow emergency personnel unrestricted access as search and recovery operations continue.
