Africa : in Nairobi building collapsed

Rescuers in the Kenyan capital Nairobi are
searching for dozens of people feared trapped
after the collapse
of a seven-storey building in
heavy rain.
TV coverage from the scene showed a crowd
gathering at the Huruma residential estate as
rescuers dug for survivors. At least seven people
are known to have died.
The Red Cross criticised "chaotic scenes" as
rescuers arrived.
Police told Kenya's KTN network that at least
121 people had been rescued.
It is unclear how many people are trapped
beneath seven floors of concrete.
The rainfall in addition has caused landslides,
washed away houses and flooded roads.
Police told KTN that 14 people died in the
Nairobi rains, including those in the collapse.
Another four died when a wall toppled over,
officials said.
The Huruma neighbourhood is a poor district on
the outskirts of Nairobi made up of narrow
streets, meaning firefighters struggled to get to
the scene and were delayed by large crowds.
After some time, the army took charge of the
rescue - with the help of the Kenyan Red Cross.
"We can still hear voices of people who are still
inside," Red Cross spokesman Venant Ndigila
said.
Residents said that the building shook violently
in the rain before collapsing.
Poor building standards are a fact of life in
Kenya, correspondents say. A survey carried out
last year found that more than half the buildings
in the capital were unfit for habitation.
The high demand for housing in Nairobi has led
to some property developers bypassing building
regulations to reduce costs and increase profits.
There has however been some good news for
the rescuers who extracted a number of children
from the wreckage throughout Friday.
President Uhuru Kenyatta last year ordered an
audit of all the buildings in the country after a
spate of collapses.
Meanwhile two boys are missing in another part
of the flood-hit country after going herding,
according to the Red Cross.