Rescue workers in the Dominican Republic concluded their search for survivors after the collapse of a nightclub roof that has resulted in the nation’s worst disaster in many years, with the death toll surpassing 180. Emergency personnel reported an additional 60 deaths on Wednesday, increasing the confirmed total to 184. Officials had previously announced that all reasonable efforts to find more survivors had been exhausted, and the operation’s focus will now shift to recovering bodies. The tragedy occurred at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, sending shockwaves throughout the nation. Relatives of missing individuals continued to desperately await news of their loved ones at hospitals and the local morgue. Over 300 rescue workers, including sniffer dogs, had been searching through fallen debris for two days, with support from firefighters from Puerto Rico and Israel. Aerial footage showed the site resembling an earthquake aftermath, with a gaping hole where the roof of the club had once been. Over 500 people were also injured during the collapse, which happened while renowned merengue singer Rubby Pérez was performing. The star’s daughter managed to escape, but Pérez’s body was recovered on Wednesday. Tributes poured in from across Latin America, mourning the loss of both Pérez and former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pope Francis have both offered their condolences, with at least one US citizen reported to be among the victims. President Luis Abinader declared three days of national mourning following the disaster. A survivor shared her harrowing account of escaping from the collapsing club, describing it as feeling like a tsunami or an earthquake.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/10/dominican-republic-roof-collapse-search-survivors-ends