Two more bodies were recovered on Monday from the collapsed building site in Bangkok as the search for survivors continued, with reports indicating that signs of life were still being detected three days after Friday’s devastating earthquake.
The bodies of the victims were discovered around 2pm, bringing the death toll at the building collapse to 13. The bodies were sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.
Seventy-seven workers remained unaccounted for as of Monday, while eight people are currently still receiving treatment for injuries caused by the collapse of the 30-storey building owned by the State Audit Office (SAO).
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said on Monday there is still hope of finding survivors, with authorities reviewing and adjusting strategies accordingly.
Monday saw the critical 72-hour window for finding survivors in the collapsed building come and go.
He said the search would focus on zones B and C, where elevator shafts and fire escapes were located, after most of the survivors said they had escaped via the latter.
Mr Chadchart insisted that search and rescue operations were not slow, saying the work is delicate and the safety of survivors and rescue teams was the top priority.
He added that an eight-person team can only work for 20 minutes at a time due to the exhausting nature of the task.
The site is strictly controlled and off-limits, he said, adding that any removal of materials for inspection is overseen by authorities, and they must be registered as they are considered SAO assets.
According to the governor, nearby land owned by the State Railway of Thailand will be used to handle the removed debris, estimated at 50,000 cubic metres.
Deputy Bangkok Governor Tavida Kamolvej said search and rescue would continue, with rescuers trying to precisely locate victims.
