Five people were pulled from the collapsed roof of a popular nightclub in the Dominican Republic on Saturday, health officials said, raising the death toll to 226.
Four people died overnight, with the latest victim, a 41-year-old Costa Rican woman, dying on Saturday, according to the National Health Service.
Authorities said 189 people had been rescued from the rubble of a popular establishment in the capital Santo Domingo. More than 200 people were injured, with 15 still in hospital, including five in critical condition.
The roof of the Jet Set club collapsed during a merengue concert on Tuesday morning. Politicians, athletes and fashion designers were among the spectators enjoying the live music when the tragedy occurred.
As of Saturday morning, people remained at the forensic institute, waiting for the return of their loved ones' bodies. Later that day, health authorities announced that all 225 bodies had been returned to the families of the victims.
Health Minister Victor Attalah told reporters on Saturday that there were delays in identifying the victims because most had to be identified using biometric data.
Among the victims identified so far are former Major League Baseball players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera. Also killed was Nelcy Cruz, governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi, whose brother is seven-time MLB All-Star Nelson Cruz.
Authorities said it was too early to determine what caused the roof collapse, although prosecutors arrived at the scene Thursday after rescuers began packing up and removing heavy equipment.
On Thursday, President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje attended the funeral of singer Rubby Perez at the National Theater in Santo Domingo.
Perez was performing on stage at a packed Jet Set club on Tuesday morning when dust began falling from the ceiling and seconds later the roof collapsed.
Mourners dressed in black and white filed into the theater, some crying as a recording of Peres singing the national anthem played.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
