Two survivors pulled from collapsed building

Rescue workers clear debris from the site of the collapsed building. Picture: Anindito Mukherjee

Rescue workers clear debris from the site of the collapsed building. Picture: Anindito Mukherjee

Published Jun 30, 2014

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New Delhi - Police say rescuers have pulled two more survivors out from a huge pile of broken concrete after an 11-storey building collapsed and killed at least 19 people in southern India.

Seasonal monsoon rains have complicated the search, but rescuers say they hope to find more people alive after rescuing a woman and a man on Monday. So far, 39 people have been rescued.

The building crashed on Saturday night while in the final stages of construction outside Chennai, the south-coast capital of Tamil Nadu state. Nearly 90 contract workers were believed to have been in the basement, collecting wages.

Police detained six construction company officials.

Building collapses are common in India, where high housing demand and lax regulations have encouraged builders to cut corners, use substandard materials or add unauthorised floors. - Sapa-AP

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