53 confirmed dead, in China building collapse

A total of 53 people have been confirmed dead in the collapse of a residential building in China's Hunan province, authorities announced on Friday.

The search and rescue operation concluded at 3.03 a.m. on Friday, Xinhua news agency quoted Zheng Jianxin, mayor of the provincial capital Changsha, as saying.

He added that 10 people have been rescued so far.

Wu Guiying, Party chief of Changsha, said that authorities will conduct further investigations into the accident, punish those responsible and intensify security inspections of such self-built buildings.

The building collapse took place on April 29.