4 huge health risks 44 trapped workers in George face... if found alive
Time is running out for the 44 workers who are still unaccounted for at the site of the George building collapse.
Emergency services pull another survivor from the rubble of a collapsed building in George on 7 May 2024. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/Eyewitness News
Africa Melane speaks with Professor Terrence Kommal, CEO of Medical Expert Consulting Group. He is a Medical Doctor, Anaesthetist and Former Military Task Team Doctor.
Listen to the interview in the audio player below.
Thirty-seven of the 81 workers confirmed to have been on site of the George building collapse have been recovered.
Of those, 15 are in critical condition, six have life-threatening injuries, and nine are deceased.
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For the 44 still underground, Kommal says they face four main risks.
These are dehydration, starvation, traumatic injury, and sepsis.
A person can survive three days without water and three weeks without food, but injuries will make it more difficult to cope.
The trapped workers will be suffering extreme psychological stress, which will make it harder to survive.
“You are in an abnormal situation. It is dire and desperate, and then you need to keep yourself motivated.”
- Terrence Kommal, CEO - Medical Expert Consulting Group
Kommal says there is little information on how fast rescue teams are moving but time is running out.
“Even if we do get to the survivors as soon as possible, we may lose them to dehydration, starvation, trauma, and sepsis.”
- Terrence Kommal, CEO - Medical Expert Consulting Group
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.