The death toll of a building collapse in Savar, Bangladesh rose passed 1,000 on Friday (May 10), authorities said, as rescue work continues at the site.

The eight-storey Rana Plaza building in Savar, 30 km (20 miles) outside Dhaka housing garment factories and shops, collapsed on April 24.

Authorities said over a hundred bodies were discovered overnight as rescue efforts moved to where staircases were located.

They added that most of the bodies were mangled beyond recognition and are being identified through identification cards or personal belongings.

Relatives gathered at the site of the disaster, some holding up photographs of family members as they waited for news of their loved-ones.

The government has blamed the owners and builders of the eight-storey complex for using shoddy building materials, including substandard rods, bricks and cement, and not obtaining the necessary clearances.

The disaster, believed to have been triggered when the generators were started up during a blackout, put the spotlight on Western retailers who use the impoverished South Asian nation as a source of cheap goods.

Presented by Adam Justice