At least 146 people are now known to have died in the devastating fire that tore through high-rise buildings in Hong Kong on Wednesday.
Police announced the new death toll on Sunday, cautioning that they cannot rule out the possibility of further fatalities. There are still 150 people missing, and the blaze left 79 injured.
Seven of eight tower blocks at the Wang Fuk Court housing complex in the northerly Tai Po district rapidly went up in flames. Accusations that the fire was spread by flammable construction materials have sparked widespread anger.
Three days of national mourning started on Saturday, and thousands have gathered at the scene to mourn the victims.
There have been queues stretching as long as 2km (1.2 miles), as people wait to lay flowers and handwritten notes.
Indonesian worker Romlah Rosidah expressed surprise at the turnout, saying, This event was only spread on social media, but it turned out their hearts moved. A Filipino worker echoed this sentiment, emphasizing solidarity with the Hong Kong community.
Officials observed three minutes' silence to begin the mourning period, and the flags of China and Hong Kong are flying at half-staff.
The fire is Hong Kong's deadliest in more than 70 years, and the death toll has been rising each day, as officials work to recover and identify bodies.
The exact cause of the blaze has yet to be determined. Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of corruption over the renovations that had been taking place on the towers, while three others were detained on manslaughter charges.
The fire department reported that the blaze reached a peak temperature of 500C (932F), injuring twelve firefighters in the process.
With ongoing investigations, authorities are looking into claims that alarms in all eight blocks were not working effectively. The Independent Commission Against Corruption announced arrests linked to the incident, underlining the alarming issues surrounding safety and construction practices in Hong Kong.
Wang Fuk Court, built in 1983, housed nearly 4,600 residents, with a significant portion being elderly individuals who had lived there for decades.
