A residential building collapse in the city of Paulista in the metropolitan area of Recife in northeastern Brazil has resulted in the loss of at least two lives, while 15 individuals remain trapped or missing, according to firefighters.
The incident occurred in the Beira-Mar popular housing residential complex, and rescue operations are ongoing with the assistance of trained dogs and debris removal teams.
The collapse took place amid heavy rains that have plagued the region for the past two weeks, causing landslides, floods, and other incidents.
Two women were successfully rescued and sent to a hospital with fractures, while four other individuals residing in an adjacent property sustained minor injuries.
The building had previously been closed by a court order in 2010 due to safety concerns. However, two years later, the owners occupied the premises without authorization.
In 2018, a Fire Brigade inspection recommended another eviction, and just a day before the tragedy, an insurer for the state bank that financed the apartments highlighted the dangers of the property.
This unfortunate event follows a similar incident in the neighboring city of Olinda, where a residential building collapsed in April, resulting in the deaths of six individuals.
The Leme building in the Jardim Atlântico neighborhood had also been under an eviction order since 2000 due to the risk of collapse.