Seventeen people have been confirmed dead and 32 injured, with 83 others still unaccounted for in Bangkok following the earthquake in Myanmar, which sent tremors to many parts of Thailand on Friday, according to the Erawan Medical Emergency Centre.
At the site of the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building, ten construction workers are confirmed to have died, nine at the site and one in hospital.
Thanes Weerasiri, president of the Council of Engineers, disclosed this morning that four bodies have been found trapped under the rubble at the SAO office construction site and rescue workers are still trying to recover the bodies.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said this morning that he still hopes that some of those trapped under the rubble are still alive, as signs of life have been detected.
He admitted that the most difficult task now is to save those who are alive but trapped under the rubble, adding that the removal of debris must be done with great caution.
Additionally, one person died at each of a construction site in the Bang Po area, the Best Condominium on Rama 9 Road, a Ram Inthra 64 construction site, the Metropolis building on Sukhumvit Soi 39, the Wireless Complex condominium on New Phetchaburi Road, the Nismono condominium in Bang Po area and the Life One condominium on Wireless road, according to the emergency centre.
Regarding the possibility of rain, the governor said that it would not pose a problem for the rescue operations, but it may wash construction site dust and debris into the drains.
He said he has instructed the Office of Drainage to accelerate the flushing of the drains, to prevent the system from becoming clogged.
