A roof collapsed at the construction site of a South African shopping mall killing one person, officials say.
About 50 others are feared trapped at the construction site.
Rescue teams are working in the dark and are using sniffer dogs to look for survivors beneath the rubble at the site in Tongaat, north of Durban.
About 30 people had been taken to hospital – some with massive traumatic injuries, paramedics say.
Officials said those trapped were construction workers.
Rescue teams are working in the dark and are using sniffer dogs to look for survivors beneath the rubble at the site in Tongaat
The deputy mayor of the municipality told South African media that authorities had obtained an injunction a month ago to halt construction at the site.
“There are areas of the law that they [construction firms] did not follow in terms of building,” Nomvuzo Shabalala told broadcaster ENCA.
“We were not aware that they were continuing building,” she added.
Chris Botha, from the ambulance company Netcare 911, said it was too early to know the cause of the collapse.
The accident happened around 16:30 local time.
About 100 rescue workers are at the scene, where hydraulic equipment is being used to break through the concrete blocks.
Tongaat is a small town about 25 miles north of Durban and has a large South African Asian population.
Nearby transport routes to Tongaat had been affected as the main road through the town has been shut to traffic and trains have been stopped.
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At least three people have been killed by an explosion that partly destroyed a block of flats in the northern French city of Reims, officials say.
Reims Mayor Adeline Hazan told BFM TV that the explosion at the four-storey building was probably caused by a gas leak.
Police said another 14 people were injured, including a number of children.
Images show one end of the building has collapsed.
Adeline Hazan told BFM TV the blast – which happened at 11:15 – had been “very strong” and had shattered windows in other buildings.
At least three people have been killed by an explosion that partly destroyed a block of flats in the northern French city of Reims
Two bodies were brought out of the rubble during the morning. A third was found later by search teams. By Sunday evening, two residents were still thought to be missing.
Ten flats were thought to be affected.
The building, in the Wilson area of Reims, is described as social housing dating back to the 1960s.
It was renovated several years ago but residents said that while the front had been re-painted, no change had been made to the interior structure.
A gas explosion in a flat in nearby Witry-les-Reims in early April left four people from the same family dead.
Housing Minister Cecile Duflot has promised a full inquiry.
“It appears the building was well maintained. All the necessary checks were carried out on the appliances,” Cecile Duflot said.
In a statement, President Francois Hollande sent his condolences to the victims’ families and his solidarity to the city of Reims.
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Michael Norgrove has died several days after collapsing in the boxing ring, the British Board of Boxing Control (BBBC) has announced today.
Zambian light-middleweight Michael Norgrove, who was based in London, collapsed on March 31.
The 31-year-old was treated for bleeding on the brain following the bout against Sedgley’s Tom Bowen at The Ring in Blackfriars, south London.
Michael Norgrove has died several days after collapsing in the boxing ring
BBBC General secretary Robert Smith said: “We were informed of his death this morning. The whole sport feels for his family and we need to let it sink in.
“He was a nice little boxer – but forget boxing for now, it’s very sad news indeed.”
Michael Norgrove had been taking part in his first fight after a two-year break from the sport.
The boxer was undefeated and had he beaten Tom Bowen it would have been a sixth straight win.
Michael Norgrove was a sparring partner of boxer James DeGale, who won a gold medal in the Beijing Olympic Games.
On Saturday morning James DeGale Tweeted: “So sad to hear about the passing of Michael Norgrove. He will be sadly missed.”
Michael Norgrove had trained at the Repton Club in east London.
A statement on the club’s website said it was “saddened” by the news that the boxer had collapsed “doing what he loved”.
Melcom department store has collapsed in Ghana’s capital, Accra, with dozens of people believed to be trapped inside.
Rescue efforts are under way, with officials saying that at least three people died in the multi-storey Melcom store.
Ten people have been pulled alive from the rubble so far.
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama said he had suspended his campaign for next month’s election.
The government has declared the area in the city’s Achimota neighborhood a disaster zone.
Vice-President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur is at the site, co-ordinating rescue efforts at the building, which opened earlier this year.
Hundreds of rescuers are digging through the rubble, amid fears that dozens of people are trapped inside, our correspondent says.
Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur said the building collapsed shortly before the Melcom store was due to open for business.
Rescue efforts were being hampered by the large crowd that had gathered at the site, he added.
Melcom department store has collapsed in Ghana’s capital, Accra, with dozens of people believed to be trapped inside
“There’s so much noise that it’s not possible to hear the trapped people asking for help,” Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur said.
“If we could move out of here, it could help rescue operations.”
In a statement on its Facebook page, Melcom said it had rented the building which housed its Achimota branch on a 10-year lease.
“This is indeed a very tragic incident,” it said.
“We are doing everything possible to see that help reaches those who need it. Our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies goes to the families of those who may have lost their lives.”
Customers often queue outside the store before it opens and officials say they believe about 50 people may been inside at the time of the collapse.
Eyewitness Ama Okyere told the AFP news agency she was very close to the shopping centre when the building came down.
“I had to run for my life. I was so terrified. I believe there are lots of people trapped under this because this is a heavily patronized shopping mall in the area.”
Family members have been trying to call relatives feared trapped beneath the rubble on their mobile phones, AFP reports.
Another witness, John Owusu, said he heard a bang before the building collapsed.
President John Dramani Mahama, in a tweet moments after the building collapsed, said: “My prayers are with the workers, shoppers and others who are trapped in the rubble of the Achimota Melcom building.”
He has cut short his campaign in the north of the country and is flying back to Accra.
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