The number of dead bodies recovered from the debris of the 21-storey building which collapsed in Lagos on Monday has risen to 36.
Spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, made this known on Thursday.
He said the number of survivors remained nine.
Nine of the survivors are male while one is female, he added.
Of the 36 dead, he said, three were female while 33 were male.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State had on Wednesday, during a visit to the scene, given indication that the rescue operation might end today, Thursday.
His words: “I express my deepest sympathy to the families of those that have been involved in this unfortunate incident. For the bodies recovered from the site, we are currently conducting systematic process of identifying them. Before the end of today or tomorrow, the process would have been completed and family members can come forward to identify them.”
Already, the state government has set up a medical base and information desk at the site of the building collapse, urging those whose family members were still missing to offer information on identity.
There is also a website (www.lagosmind.org/help) and helpline number (09090006463) for the distress family.