The death toll continues to rise, as more bodies are removed from the wreckage of Friday’s tragedy that struck in the Ikotun area of Lagos, Nigeria. The guest house belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations, or SCOAN, collapsed at 12:44pm. Up to this point it is unclear of the death toll, but it is estimated that it could be as high as 67, with 18 so far unaccounted for. Those dead are South African citizens who formed part of a tour group visiting the famous church of the faith-healer TB Joshua. According to eNCA.com, 20 people have been hospitalised and there are 248 who have survived.
According to a statement released by South African president, Jacob Zuma, at no time in recent history has South Africa seen this number of people die in one incident outside of their country. He also added that he had directed various government departments to ensure that relatives of the deceased were taken to Nigeria to identify their loved one’s bodies. Rescue officials on the ground in Lagos have commented that the likeliest cause of the building’s collapse was structural, and that the foundations weren’t reinforced before the construction of several additional floors.
Are you currently in Lagos or do you have any friends or family that were affected? Let us know in the comment section below.