The toll in a 10-storey commercial building collapse in the southwestern Iranian city of Abadan has risen to 36, semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted a top provincial official. Speaking to reporters, Khuzestan Province Governor Sadeq Khalilian on Tuesday said the number of the injured still stands at 37, most of whom have been released from the hospital.
He gave the assurance that the rescue work will continue until the last victim is recovered from the rubble, Xinhua news agency reported. On Sunday, the Iranian government announced nationwide mourning for the victims of the disaster. The Mizan news agency of the Iranian judiciary reported that 10 people were arrested for the incident, in which the building's owner and contractor were killed.
The under-construction building, known as Metropol, is on a crowded street in downtown Abadan, surrounded by commercial and medical complexes and offices. Parts of the building collapsed suddenly on May 23, trapping dozens of people beneath the rubble.