At least eight dead after apartment building crumbles in Brazil

– An apartment building collapsed in northeastern Brazil on Friday, leaving at least eight people dead and five missing, according to officials, as rescue workers scoured the rubble in a frantic search for survivors.

Two young children, including an 8-year-old and a 5-year-old, were listed among the victims.

But four others were pulled out alive, according to civil defence officials, as of 9:30 p.m. (0030 GMT) on Friday night.

The residential structure is located in Brazil’s northeastern Pernambucostate, in the Janga neighborhood on the outskirts of Recife, the state’s capital.

Drone footage captured by Reuters showed the four-story apartment building reduced to rubble, as firefighters and rescue workers rushed around the site.

Officials said the building collapse took place early on Friday morning around 6:35 a.m., when many residents were likely still sleeping.

It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse.

Recife, a coastal city with around 1.5 million residents, has been grappling with heavy rainfall in recent days.

The city and its surrounding metro area were put under a “state of attention” declaration earlier on Friday, meant to trigger swift action from emergency workers.

Pernambuco Governor Raquel Lyra warned earlier in the day that more rain is expected, recommending that locals make sure they can access safe structures.