The death toll from the high-rise apartment collapse in Pyongyang on May 13 stands at more than 400, sources said Thursday.

Authorities are clearing debris from the site of the building collapse and have placed a camouflage net over the ruin in order to prevent exposure to satellite photos.

One source familiar said, "There is talk that around 400 to 490 people were killed in the accident. The building collapsed around 5 to 6 p.m. so many kids had come home from school by then, and there were many women and elderly people as well."

The high-rise apartment that collapsed had yet to be completed, but residents had already started moving in around late November since only some interior jobs were left to be finished. Around 92 households were living in the building when it collapsed.

They apparently included members of North Korea's State Security Department and Workers Party officials as well as members of the commercial elite who had apparently paid more than US$30,000 each.