Building partially collapses in southern Russia, sparking search for any trapped survivors

Russian state media says that part of a residential building has collapsed in southern Russia, killing one woman and sparking a search for any residents who might be trapped in the rubble. State news agency Tass says that most residents in the southern city of Astrakhan already had evacuated because of what was described as a grinding sound in the building. The emergency ministry says it received information about cracks appearing just before the structure collapsed. More than 200 people have been evacuated. The Astrakhan region deputy governor, Oleg Knyazev, says authorities have ruled out a gas explosion, and that the building’s structure was to blame.