Omanghana
Rescue workers in Kenya have recovered the body of a woman from the rubble of a high-rise building that collapsed in Nairobi’s Eastleigh district, as teams continue searching for people reported missing.
The woman’s body was retrieved on Friday, October 30, 2026, one week after the building collapsed. Authorities say DNA testing will be carried out to establish her identity.
As of Saturday, October 31, 16 people remained unaccounted for following the collapse on October 23. The building was under construction, although shops were already operating on its lower floors.
Search Continues
Emergency teams have been working through concrete and twisted steel to reach the lower sections of the building. Officials said approximately 85% of the debris had been cleared by Friday.
Rescuers have used specialised equipment, including thermal imaging technology, to search for possible signs of life. Members of China’s Blue Sky Rescue Team have joined Kenyan emergency personnel at the site.
Several people were rescued in the days immediately after the collapse. Families of those still missing have continued to wait for news as the operation proceeds.
Kenya’s Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, said shortly after the disaster that all 67 construction workers at the site had been accounted for, with one injured. Authorities have continued to investigate reports concerning other people who may have been in the building.
Questions Over Approvals
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building had not received the required county construction approvals. He also said shops should not have been occupied before the building was inspected and an occupation certificate issued.
The National Construction Authority said the proposed project had been registered with it in July 2025. Its records listed 9th Street Plaza Limited as the developer and Stromax Holdings E.A. Limited as the contractor. A representative of the developer has disputed the governor’s account, saying the building had the required approvals.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is examining the circumstances of the collapse, including the roles of county officials, developers, contractors and construction professionals. The cause of the disaster and any responsibility remain under investigation.
Source: Omanghana
