Building collapse in Miami: Survivors’ hopes are dashed

Rescue crews decided to end the search for survivors in the wreckage of the apartment building which collapsed overnight on June 24 in Florida, said the mayor of Miami-Dade County, where the tragedy unfolded with at least 54 dead, according to the most recent but still provisional report of the victims, as almost ninety people are still missing.

«I am deeply saddened to announce that in the afternoon we have made the extremely difficult decision to move from the search and rescue phase to that of the corpse collection.“Daniela Levine Cava said, clarifying that 86 residents of the building remain missing.

The 24-hour search for the past two weeks on the wreckage of this 12-storey beachfront apartment building in Surfside has not allowed any survivors other than a teenager to be pulled out on the day of the disaster.

Members of rescue teams from Mexico and Israel with extensive experience in such operations participated in the search alongside their American colleagues in the wreckage. Most of the building, the so-called Champlain Towers South, collapsed in a way that has not yet been explained, although the building was damaged.

What was left of the apartment building was demolished in a controlled manner on Sunday night, as its instability posed a danger to the lives of the members of the rescue crews. The teams were then able to continue the search to places they had not been able to reach.

Strong winds prevailed in the area and heavy rainfall occurred as Florida was hit by Tropical Storm Elsa.

Prior to announcing to reporters, Levine Kawa, Ray Jandala, a senior Miami-Dade County Fire Department officer, had personally informed family members of the missing that the search and rescue operation would be terminated. survivors are “zero”.