16-storey building collapses in Nairobi, many fear trapped in rubble

A high-rise building in Kenya’s capital Nairobi was reduced to rubble on Friday after collapsing while under construction.

The 16-storey buidling came down in the densely populated business and residential area of Eastleigh. There are fears of multiple casualties, with people trapped under the debris.

Local media reported looting immediately after the collapse and police used tear gas to disperse crowds of onlookers.

Africa’s leading business hub, Nairobi is undergoing a rapid construction boom, with high-rise buildings appearing across the city.

The number of buildings completed annually in Nairobi has risen from 20,025 in 2022 to 25,090 last year, according to its statistics bureau, as east Africa's leading business hub sucks in people from rural areas and neighbouring countries.

But there are concerns over safety as corruption allows contractors to cut corners and bypass regulations.

Last year, Kenyan authorities found that 87 percent of buildings audited nationwide failed to meet standards or lacked the required approvals.

Five people were killed when a six-storey building collapsed in a town on the outskirts of Nairobi in September 2022.

In April 2016, 49 people were killed when a six-floor apartment building crumbled in the northeast of the capital after days of heavy rain caused floods and landslides.