New Delhi, July 8 -- An under-construction Manhattan high-rise at risk of collapse was stabilised late Tuesday, and some evacuations of nearby buildings were lifted.

"We've been monitoring the building for many hours and have not seen any movement," Ahmed Tigani, commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings, said during a news conference Tuesday.

"We were able to get to the 21st floor to inspect the work that's being done and feel confident that the emergency work is stabilising the situation," Tigani was quoted by a report as saying.

During the Tuesday morning rush hour, emergency crews evacuated a busy Manhattan street block after structural columns buckled inside a skyscraper undergoing construction work, officials said...