One person was killed, and at least 20 others were believed trapped when a nine-story building under construction collapsed before dawn in Angeles City, north of Manila, on Sunday, authorities said.
Police and disaster officials said the concrete structure, which was being built in a busy commercial district of Angeles City in Pampanga province, crumbled at about 2:30 a.m. during a fierce thunderstorm that brought heavy rain and strong winds.
The collapse buried workers who had been sleeping on the ground floor of the unfinished building, as well as people in nearby establishments, according to initial reports from rescuers, according to the Associated Press.
Angeles City lies north of the Philippine capital and hosts a cluster of budget hotels, cafes, and other small businesses around a former U.S. Air Force base, officials said.
Authorities confirmed that the lone fatality was a 65-year-old Malaysian guest whose body was recovered from a nearby hotel that was hit by falling debris from the collapsing structure.
Officials said the hotel, located beside the construction site, sustained significant damage when parts of the building crashed onto it. No other deaths had been confirmed as of Monday morning, but officials warned that the toll could rise as search operations continued.
Rescue teams reported that more than 20 people remained missing, most of them construction workers who were believed to be inside the building when it fell.
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Fire and disaster officials said that of the missing, at least five were confirmed trapped in the rubble, with two still in contact with rescuers by phone or voice, raising hopes they could be pulled out alive.
Authorities added that about 24 to 26 workers managed to escape or were rescued in the immediate aftermath, some with injuries, and were taken to nearby hospitals, Yahoo News reported.
More than 100 police officers, firefighters, and other government personnel were dispatched to the site to dig through the concrete and steel using heavy equipment and hand tools, officials said.
Rescuers reported "hearing voices" from beneath the debris and were working in shifts amid concerns about further collapses and worsening weather. Local authorities set up a perimeter around the area and asked residents and onlookers to stay away to allow emergency vehicles to move freely, according to police.
Investigators opened a probe into the cause of the collapse, focusing on whether structural defects, design issues, or the severe thunderstorm played a role, officials said.
Police Brigadier General Jess Mendez, who oversees regional police operations, said engineers and building officials were being interviewed, and construction permits and plans would be reviewed. Local officials also said they would examine compliance with safety standards at construction sites in the city to prevent similar incidents, as per the Independent.
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