Four people have died and another 159 are reported missing after the collapse of a 12-story building in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA. Rescuers say they heard a knock from under the rubble, their operation continues, writes the BBC.
It is not known exactly how many people were in the building when it collapsed on the night of June 23-24. Dozens have been evacuated from what remains of the structure.
President Joe Biden approved the declaration of an emergency in Florida, which means that the Federal Emergency Management Agency will help government agencies provide relief.
At night, hundreds of rescuers, using sonars and specially trained dogs, searched the rubble in search of survivors.
Authorities say about 15 families have been evacuated from the building.
It is noted that most of the residents were asleep when the house collapsed.
“It’s heartbreaking because I don’t think … that we will find people alive,” said Mayor of Surfside, where the tragedy occurred, Charles Burkett.
Officials say the rescue operation is dangerous, as the remains of the building could collapse at any moment. The constant rains and storms further complicate an already daunting task.
#MDFR #TRT & # FLTF1 are working in the basement parking garage at Champlain Towers. Firefighters continue working on locating possible victims, while dealing with heavy damage and changing conditions in the parking garage. #SurfsideBuildingCollapse pic.twitter.com/qseknk0T8q
— Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (@MiamiDadeFire) June 24, 2021
Relatives of the missing are awaiting information outside a community center a few blocks from the fallen house. Many say they tried to call their loved ones, but to no avail. Some have already come to terms with the fact that they are not alive.
Eyewitnesses to the incident said they heard a sound like thunder before seeing a huge cloud of dust after the collapse. One of them compared this scene to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York.
The causes of the tragedy remain unknown. A full investigation will begin after the rescue operation.
Since the building was completed in 1980, it had to go through a standard 40-year revision. According to officials, the house was undergoing a “recertification” procedure and required repairs.
On the night of June 24, an elite multi-storey building collapsed in Miami.
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