1 week Ago By People
As the death toll continues to rise after the roof of a nightclub collapsed in the Dominican Republic, family members are still waiting to hear back about their loved ones — and holding out hope they survived. The tragedy took place in the early hours of Tuesday at the Jet Set in Santo Domingo — and in a series of updates, local authorities confirmed that the death toll continued to grow throughout the day. Based on the latest information, at least 66 people have died, according to the Associated Press , NBC News and CNN .
Officials previously said that 155 people were transported to local hospitals in the National District, while ABC News , citing local officials, reported that at least 160 people have been injured. Related: Former MLB Pitcher Octavio Dotel Dies in Dominican Republic Nightclub Collapse According to the AP, as of Tuesday afternoon, survivors are still being found in the debris — and officials have been clear that efforts are ongoing. “We presume that many of them are still alive, and that is why the authorities here will not give up until not a single person remains under that rubble,” remarked Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Emergency Operations Center, according to the news angecy.
For loved ones waiting for answers, all they can do is hold out hope. Massiel Cuevas told the AP she's waiting to hear about her 22-year-old goddaughter Darlenys Batista. "She’s in there, I know she’s in there,” said Cuevas.
Related: Second Former MLB Player, Tony Blanco, Dies in Dominican Republic Nightclub Collapse Manuel Olivo Ortiz, whose son attended the concert but did not return home, added that "we're holding on only to God." The mother of 30-year-old daughter Laura Stephanie also shared her hopes with local outlet Listín Diario . "I have my daughter there (in the debris from the construction site), my daughter who gave me life, my little girl is there and she hasn't come out yet.
I don't care about anything; what I want is for my daughter to come out," she said. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Jet Set nightclub said in a statement that it is "cooperating fully and transparently with the relevant authorities to help victims and clarify what happened." A cause has yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader expressed his condolences in a statement on X . Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "We deeply regret the tragedy that occurred at the Jet Set nightclub.
We have been following the incident minute by minute since it occurred. All relief agencies have provided the necessary assistance and are working tirelessly in the rescue efforts. Our prayers are with the affected families," Abinader said.
Among the deceased are Tony Blanco, a former Major League Baseball player and father of current Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Tony Blanco Jr., as well as former MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel . Read the original article on People.
