Rush Hour, Dense District Fuel Fears of High Death Toll in Riga

People walk near the rescue operation underway outside the Maxima supermarket after its roof collapsed, in Riga, Latvia, 22 November 2013. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Fears of many more casualties from the collapse of a Riga supermarket's roof run high as the disaster happened at a rush hour and in a densely populated district.

Latvian rescuers search for survivors in the rubble of a supermarket in the capital Riga which collapsed on Thursday afternoon when hordes of shoppers were picking up food after work.

At least 43 people have died, but the Fire and Rescue Service agency could not say how many people might be trapped under the rubble.

The supermarket is located in a densely populated, working-class neighborhood between downtown Riga and the city's airport.

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