A Mother’s Day never to be forgotten: Heartbreak, hope and heroism
Rescue efforts to find people trapped in the rubble at the George disaster site continued unabated nearly a week after the collapse.
While some mothers are being spoilt on Mother’s Day, the mothers of those who perished in the George building tragedy are in mourning; others are living through the ordeal of waiting for news of their children; and selfless women are hard at work at the disaster site.
One more body has been retrieved from the rubble.
As of 09:00 this morning, marking 139 hours since the collapse:
- Total individuals on-site at the time of the collapse: 81
- Rescued and recovered: 45, of which 16 are deceased
- Currently hospitalised: 14
- Unaccounted for: 36
Yolanda Avontuur, a paramedic at Garden Route District Municipality and station manager of the Mossel Bay sub-district, is gladly sacrificing the spoils of Mother’s Day to assist at the disaster site.
She is distributing personal protective clothing to ensure that rescue workers who go on-site are kitted out for safety, much like a mother’s role of ensuring that her children are safe.
Watch the interview. Video by Alida de Beer:
The relentless search for survivors continues.
Read original story on www.georgeherald.com
