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Death toll climbs to five in central China building collapse by AFP Staff Writers Beijing (AFP) May 4, 2022 Authorities have raised the death toll to five in a building collapse in central China that has left dozens missing, state media reported early Thursday. The commercial building in Changsha city, Hunan province -- which housed apartments, a hotel and a cinema -- caved in on Friday, sparking a massive response with hundreds of emergency workers. The flattened structure, which has left a gaping hole in a dense Changsha streetscape, created a mess of debris and crumbled concrete beams. The official Xinhua news agency reported Thursday that the death toll now stands at five, up from two previously. In addition, 10 people have been pulled from the rubble alive. The tenth survivor was found conscious at approximately 12:00 am, Xinhua said. There are 23 people believed to be trapped in the building, and no contact has been established with an additional 39 other missing individuals, according to state media. Rescuers have been able to find live victims with the help of sniffer dogs, life detectors and drones, as well as thanks to shouting and knocking, the outlet said. Authorities have alleged that surveyors falsified a safety audit of the building, which Xinhua classified as "a self-built" structure. President Xi Jinping earlier called for a search "at all cost" and ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse, state media reported. Building collapses are not uncommon in China due to weak safety and construction standards, as well as corruption among officials tasked with enforcement.
Floods, fires drive Australian home insurance 'crisis' Sydney (AFP) May 3, 2022 Fiercer floods, winds and bushfires whipped up by warmer temperatures mean more than half a million homes in Australia will cost too much to insure by 2030, according to an analysis by a climate advocacy group published Tuesday. The Climate Council non-profit group issued the report after storms and floods battered Australia's east coast in February-March this year, and following the 2019-20 "Black Summer" bushfires that killed 33 people as well as an estimated tens of millions of wild animals. ... read more
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