Seven people are confirmed dead and 35 others have been rescued following the collapse of a six-storey building in Embakasi East area in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, according to local media reports.

This comes after two bodies were pulled out of the debris on Sunday and two more people were rescued on Saturday night, according to local media reports.

The two were taken to the Kenyatta National Hospital for treatment, the Kenya Red Cross said on its official Twitter account.

Local media also reported that authorities said they will not depart from the scene until a complete search of all the floors is done. The cause of the collapse of the building, located in Tassia estate, is not yet known.

According to reports, the block collapsed on Friday shortly after 8am as some of the tenants were preparing to leave their homes for work. Those who managed to escape said that the ground floor sank and then the others followed.

According to some residents, the owner of the building had been cautioned about perceived weaknesses in the building but she allegedly ignored them.

The search and rescue mission is being spearheaded by the Kenya Defence Forces' Disaster Response Unit with assistance from the Kenya Red Cross Society, St John Ambulance, Nairobi County's fire department and the Kenya Police.

However, rescue efforts have been hampered by heavy rains being experienced not only in the city but countrywide as well.

Kenya has fallen victim to building collapses in recent years. This phenomenon has been blamed mainly on poor enforcement of building regulations and the use of substandard materials.

Source(s): Citizen TV, Kenya Red Cross