FREETOWN, Sept 17, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - At least eight people died, including three children, after a seven-storey building collapsed in Sierra Leone's capital on Monday, authorities said, with more trapped under the rubble.

The building in eastern Freetown, thought to be used for both residential and commercial purposes, collapsed between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm (GMT), the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) said in a statement.

"Thus far, six survivors have been rescued from the rubble, while eight victims have been confirmed dead," it said.

The NDMA said the victims were three adult males, two adult females, two girls under five, and one boy under five.

"The NDMA has confirmed that more people remain trapped beneath the debris, with some able to communicate their locations to rescuers," the statement added.

A large-scale rescue operation involving two cranes was underway during the afternoon.

An AFP journalist saw responders using their bare hands, shovels and pick axes to frantically search for survivors.

Despairing 33-year-old resident Mohamed Camara, who had left his house in the morning, wept as he told AFP that his wife and three children were trapped under the debris.

Witnesses interviewed by AFP said that dozens of people lived in the building.

While the cause of the collapse is not yet clear, an investigation has been opened, police said.

Bread seller Joseph Sesay, 19, said he heard a loud sound and felt the ground trembling as the building gave way at around 11:00 am (1100 GMT).

Large crowds gathered around the remains of the structure, with concrete slabs piled high next to the corrugated metal roofs of neighbouring buildings.

The NDMA said it remained "committed to the rescue efforts, hoping to recover more victims trapped beneath the collapsed structure".

The agency said it would "continue conducting vulnerability assessments to help reduce the frequency of building collapses across the country".

Sierra Leone is one of the world's poorest countries and buildings are often poorly constructed using sub-standard materials.