Rescue operations end as Santo Domingo nightclub collapse death toll exceeds 220

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Rescue operations end as Santo Domingo nightclub collapse death toll exceeds 220

2025-04-11 15:18 Last Updated At：04-12 00:07

Rescue teams have concluded their operations at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, capital of Dominican Republic, after the building's roof collapsed early Tuesday, killing more than 220 people, with nearly 200 survivors pulled from the rubble in the initial hours.

The tragic collapse occurred shortly after midnight on Tuesday during a concert attended by politicians, athletes, and other prominent figures. Recovery efforts, which intensified overnight, revealed numerous victims, the majority of whom were female. The identification process is ongoing as families await answers.

"Yeah, I know my sister. And we find out about 6 o'clock in the morning watching TV. And we found out what had happened. We knew that she loved that discotheque. She's always there, almost every Monday she was there. Nothing, we saw, you know, the enormous amount of debris, whatever it is. We knew that that was big," said Ismael Matias, a family member of one of the victims.

The roof collapsed while famed merengue artist Rubby Perez was performing, and he was also among those killed. His funeral, attended by President Luis Abinader and Latin music icon Juan Luis Guerra, took place on Thursday.

By Thursday afternoon, the Dominican Republic's Director of Emergency Operations confirmed that all recovery efforts had concluded, and the site was handed over to authorities for investigation.

Protest erupts in Mexico City over US military operation in Venezuela

Protesters filled Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma on Saturday, rallying in solidarity with Venezuela and denouncing U.S. influence in Latin America.

The United States launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela in the early hours of Jan 3, taking by force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Holding numerous flags and banners while chanting slogans intermittently, a huge crowd of protesters criticized U.S. military actions against Venezuela and the unlawful control over President Maduro and his spouse, calling for respect for national sovereignty and regional peace.

"We oppose the U.S. intervention and hegemony towards the countries in Latin America. The United States has flagrantly trampled on international law, bombed Caracas and kidnapped the Maduro couple. The U.S. interventionism has become extremely blatant. We must firmly oppose and be highly vigilant, because this is not only related to a certain country, but also to all countries," said a protester.

"We demand that the United States stop interfering in Venezuela's internal affairs. The country must immediately cease its exploitation and plundering of the countries in Latin America," said another protester.