At least 64 people were killed in the June 24 collapse of an apartment building in Surfside, Florida, local authorities said Thursday, two weeks after the disaster, as 10 more bodies were recovered.
One day earlier, Rescue teams decided to end the search for survivors, entering the phase of collecting the bodies.
Another 76 people remain missing, according to information available to local authorities.
Nearly two weeks of searching the wreckage of this 12-storey seafront apartment building in Surfing community prevented any survivors other than a teenager from being pulled out a few hours after the disaster.
“We are still praying for a miracle,” Charles Berkett, the mayor of the small town of 6,000, said yesterday, adding that he insisted he had not “given up all hope”.
On the 15th day of operations, the members of the rescue teams observed a minute’s silence at 1:20 a.m. – when most of the building collapsed.
“The work is proceeding with the speed and awareness of the urgency that is needed,” said Daniela Levine Cava, mayor of Miami-Dade County, where Surfside is administratively affiliated.
«We work 24 hours a day to find victims and allow families to mourn them as soon as possible“, Added Mrs. Levine Kava during a press conference.
Police and forensics have been tasked with the gruesome task of identifying corpses or human remains to alert relatives of victims.
Ms. Levine Kava clarified that rabbis are cooperating with the police to recover the victims with respect to their religious traditions, as a large Jewish community lives in Surfside.
Rescue teams also collect personal items – identity documents, photographs, school certificates, jewelry, wallets, cell phones, tablets, weapons…
The mayor called on the relatives of the victims to inform about the “lost items” that “we will work in the coming weeks and months to be handed over to the families”.
At least 124 tonnes of debris have been removed from the wreckage of the Champlain Towers South, which collapsed for as yet unexplored cause, even though the building was damaged in some parts.
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 in places that were inaccessible until then.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
