Building collapse in Pakistan kills 16

A five-story building has collapsed in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, killing at least 16 people, mostly women and children, an official said today.

Mayor Mohammad Dilawar says the building caved in late on Friday in the congested central Lea Market neighbourhood. He said that only three of the 16 bodies recovered were men.

Mr Dilawar said four or five more people may still be buried under the rubble, but that rescue teams are having trouble moving through the narrow streets in the area.

The building apparently was weakened by heavy monsoon rains.

Karachi, a city of more than 16 million people, has an ageing infrastructure and a poor drainage system.