Bangladesh tragedy toll hits 352, rescuers find 29 more alive

（Xinhua）  08:50, April 28, 2013  

DHAKA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- More than 84 hours after the horrendous tragedy, Bangladeshi rescuers Saturday pulled 29 more people alive from beneath the rubble of the collapsed building that has left 352 persons dead so far. The rescuers, who more than three days after the catastrophe managed to reach the ground floor of the eight-storied building which crumbled like a pack of cards Wednesday morning, believed that many more are still alive in the wreckage on the third floor.

In one of the worst tragedies in Bangladesh's history since 1971, officials say rescuers have so far pulled alive more than 2, 500 people including several lucky survivors on Saturday night, keeping alive the hope that more lives can be saved as the rescue operation continues.

"352 bodies have so far been pulled out of the collapsed building," Badrul Alam Khan, a police official at a control room set up to provide information about the disaster fatalities, told Xinhua Saturday night.

Of the bodies, 341 have been handed over to their relatives, he said.

Rescuers in collaboration with thousands of volunteers and locals under the supervision of Bangladesh Army's 9th Infantry Division have been working without any break since Wednesday morning when the building collapsed.