America
Florida building collapse: 4 dead, 159 missing
Washington, June 26
At least four people have been confirmed dead while the number of the missing rose to 159 after a 12-story residential building partially collapsed early on Thursday in Miami-Dade County in southeastern US state Florida, local media reported on Friday.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said on Friday morning that three more people were found in the rubble overnight and 120 people are now accounted for, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The Champlain Towers South condominium, built in 1981, partially collapsed around 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday in the beachside town of Surfside, about 6 miles north of Miami Beach.
About 70 of the condo's 130 apartments were destroyed or damaged, according to Frank Rollason, director of Miami-Dade Emergency Management.
All the numbers are "fluid" because some residents may not have been in the building when it collapsed, the mayor said, noting that rescuers will "continue searching because we still have hope that we will find people alive."
US President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency authorising funding and other disaster relief to Surfside. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was sending support, the mayor said.
At least 27 people from Latin American countries, including Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Argentina, are among those reported missing by friends and family following the collapse, according to a report from local newspaper Miami Herald on Friday.
Florida state fire marshal Jimmy Patronis said on CNN on Friday morning that search and rescue teams were using everything at their disposal in the search for life, cutting into the concrete with saws and using infrared cameras after boring through holes in the rubble, along with sonar and specially trained dogs.
"The live active rescue will continue," Patronis said without going into how long he thinks a person can survive under the debris.
The first lawsuit, seeking $5 million in damages for the victims of the condo collapse, was filed late on Thursday. The cause of the oceanfront condo's collapse is unknown at this early stage.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said on Friday morning that three more people were found in the rubble overnight and 120 people are now accounted for, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The Champlain Towers South condominium, built in 1981, partially collapsed around 1:30 a.m. local time on Thursday in the beachside town of Surfside, about 6 miles north of Miami Beach.
About 70 of the condo's 130 apartments were destroyed or damaged, according to Frank Rollason, director of Miami-Dade Emergency Management.
All the numbers are "fluid" because some residents may not have been in the building when it collapsed, the mayor said, noting that rescuers will "continue searching because we still have hope that we will find people alive."
US President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency authorising funding and other disaster relief to Surfside. The Federal Emergency Management Agency was sending support, the mayor said.
At least 27 people from Latin American countries, including Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Paraguay, Puerto Rico and Argentina, are among those reported missing by friends and family following the collapse, according to a report from local newspaper Miami Herald on Friday.
Florida state fire marshal Jimmy Patronis said on CNN on Friday morning that search and rescue teams were using everything at their disposal in the search for life, cutting into the concrete with saws and using infrared cameras after boring through holes in the rubble, along with sonar and specially trained dogs.
"The live active rescue will continue," Patronis said without going into how long he thinks a person can survive under the debris.
The first lawsuit, seeking $5 million in damages for the victims of the condo collapse, was filed late on Thursday. The cause of the oceanfront condo's collapse is unknown at this early stage.
10 hours ago
U.S. forces withdraw 17 of 20 American medical personnel from Gaza
11 hours ago
Beijing responds to US warnings about its assistance for Russia by claiming military collusion with Taipei.
11 hours ago
Coalition unites in fight against hate crimes; Hindu American Foundation joins
11 hours ago
Sanket Jayshukh Bulsara, an Indian-American, has been confirmed as a district judge by Senator Schumer.
11 hours ago
Nature lovers are invited by the Indian mission in New York to visit Chilika Lake in Odisha.
12 hours ago
White House Praises India’s Vibrant Democracy Amid Recent Diplomatic Dialogue
12 hours ago
'Taarak Mehta' star Deepti Sadhwani shines in thigh-high slit gold sequin gown at Cannes
12 hours ago
Janhvi Kapoor showers praise on 'Superstar Singer 3' contestant's 'Tumse Milke Dil Ka' act
12 hours ago
Farah Khan reveals her children are huge fans of 'Chhota Bheem'
12 hours ago
Cotton t-shirts, shorts, sneakers are Pooja Hegde's summer choices
12 hours ago
Puneet Issar took help of his son for shooting virtually from Seattle for 'Vanshaj'
12 hours ago
Influencer Aastha Shah flaunts her vitiligo on Cannes red carpet
12 hours ago
India to contribute about 30 pc of global GDP growth between 2035-2040: Amitabh Kant