Building under construction collapsed in Philippines, 2 trapped persons contacted search and rescue personnel

Philippine officials said that after a local building under construction collapsed early this morning, two people who were originally thought to be trapped under the rubble were lucky to survive and had contacted rescuers. Authorities confirmed that search and rescue operations were continuing.

Reuters reported that officials in Angeles City, about 80 kilometers north of the capital Manila, said, "They (survivors) have been in contact. We are waiting for more details, but rescuers are doing their best to rescue survivors from the rubble."

Officials said in a telephone interview that the number of people rescued in the collapse of the nine-story building has risen to 24, including nearby residents, and there have been no reports of deaths. Survivors include a 51-year-old Malaysian citizen who was living in a serviced apartment that was affected by the collapsed building.

It's unclear how many people are still trapped. Officials noted that "there are 19 people who normally work at this location, so we are working hard to find them."