The death toll in a New Year's Eve apartment-building collapse in the Russian city of Magnitogorsk rose to 37, - RIA Novosty Agency has reported.

"The bodies of two more women and a man were recovered," spokesperson for the Emergency Situations Ministry said on January 3 after the death toll was raised from 33.

The ministry said that four people remained unaccounted for more than 48 hours after an explosion sent part of a 10-story building crashing to the ground.​

Six children were among those confirmed dead, the ministry said.

Russian authorities have said since shortly after the December 31 collapse that a natural-gas explosion was the most likely cause.