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Nearly two weeks ago, the Surfside, Florida’s Champlain Tower South condo collapsed. Since then, search teams have worked around the clock to find any residents who lived in the tower. On July 7, 2021, the condo collapse updated death toll rose to 46, and search teams are still looking for the remaining residents.
Missing People
Despite search and rescue teams finding an additional ten bodies on Wednesday, there are still 94 residents missing from the Surfside, Florida condo. Search and rescuers have not found signs suggesting residents survived the building collapse. As a result, many search and rescue efforts to find any survivors are slim to none. Despite this, officials are still hopeful that they will find survivors amongst the Surfside, Florida rubble. However, in the coming days, this may change.
Search Delays and Questionable Infrastructure
Tropical Storm Elsa could pose a threat to search efforts. The storm has already led to a brief pause and may do so again. Storm Elsa’s heavy winds and powerful rain temporarily delayed search efforts. The storm mostly cleared my mid-Wednesday afternoon, so search and rescuers were able to resume their work. However, since the condo’s collapse, officials have begun to question the integrity of the building.
Considering that many other residential structures in Miami-Dade County are older, officials are concerned that those structures may be at risk of collapsing. Much of the concern is due to the rising sea levels and threats of the salty air causing corrosion. For this reason, officials are currently reviewing Miami-Dade County residential structures that are 40 years or older. In addition to concerned officials, a task force is reviewing Florida’s infrastructure laws.
Written by Reginae Echols
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Source:
CNN: 10 more bodies found in Surfside condo collapse rubble, pushing death toll to 46, by Madeline Holcombe and Eric Levenson
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Israel Defense Forces Flickr Page – Creative Commons
Inset Image Courtesy of Craig ONeal’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons