George building collapse: Expert gives insight to what trapped workers could be enduring

CAPE TOWN - Following the building collapse disaster in George, a medical expert has given some insight into the dehydration and trauma the 44 employees buried under the rubble could be enduring.

At least 81 construction workers were working at the site of the five-storey apartment complex that caved in on Monday, where 44 employees are still buried under the rubble, and nine have died.

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Professor Terrence Kommal said in ideal situations, humans can survive for up to three days without water, but many factors come into play.

"That dynamic changes if you've got trauma. So, if you're bleeding, if you're crushed, you're injured, [then] you're struggling to survive. Potentially, some hypothesise that you can survive up to three weeks without food, depending on somebody's overall health and fat reserves."

Kommal said mental health is also a factor to consider.

“Then there's the mental health issue and the risk of the depression of not knowing if you're going to be saved or not, compounding that is if you have any infections or medical conditions."

Rescuers are continuing the search on Friday even though the 72-hour rescue window lapsed on Thursday.