On July 7, 2021, in Surfside, Florida, search and rescue crews look for possible survivors and recover remains from the collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building. Officials believe the death toll has risen to 36, with 109 people still missing. Getty Images/Joe Raedle According to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, search workers have retrieved 14 more remains from the wreckage of the collapsed condominium building in Surfside, Florida, raising the death toll to at least 78 persons as of Friday morning. 62 individuals are still missing, according to Levine Cava, and detectives are seeking to confirm that everyone listed as missing was in Champlain Towers South when it fell over two weeks ago. “Every day, the scope of this catastrophe expands. It’s a gaping hole in the heart of this close-knit family in Surfside, a lovely tiny town with a tight-knit community “Cava Levine stated. “We recognize that the hard job of rebuilding is only beginning for many of these families, and we pledge to be there for them every step of the way.” On Wednesday, the tedious search was switched from a rescue to a recovery operation as authorities realized there was little chance of finding individuals alive in the rubble. According to Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett, authorities have promised to continue looking for casualties until all of the debris at the scene has been cleared. Burkett praised the search teams’ efforts, adding that the rubble pile, which was once four to five stories high, is now approaching ground level. According to Levine Cava, the National Institute of Technology, or NIST, is making “substantial progress” in its inquiry into the reason of the collapse. Over 200 pieces of evidence have been collected by NIST personnel and sent to a physics measurement facility in Washington for investigation. Drones and lidar scanners are also being used by NIST in the probe. Lidar scanners are a gadget that uses light to estimate the distance of an object on the earth’s surface. According to Levine Cava, the public has “a very crucial role to play in this probe.” She invited the public to send any images or videos of the collapse to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s website. The identical sibling property of the fallen condominium complex, Champlain Towers North, is also being evaluated, according to Burkett. Engineers and officials are employing ground penetrating radars and concrete samples to determine the salt content and strength of the structure. In the meantime, occupants of the sister property who wanted to evacuate have been placed in alternate housing. On July 8, 2021 in Surfside, Florida, Laura Solla weeps as she leaves flowers on the memorial site for victims of the collapsed 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building. Getty Images/Anna Moneymaker The cause of the Champlain Towers South collapse is still unknown. Recent data, such as a 2018 assessment revealing the 40-year-old structure had moisture issues beneath the pool and cracking in the subterranean parking garage, alludes to structural flaws in the building long before the collapse. According to experts, the repeal of a Florida legislation requiring condominium complexes to plan for repairs in 2010 may have contributed to the collapse. Families and individuals affected by the collapse are being offered a variety of resources. The Family Support Center continues to provide mental health counseling, financial and housing assistance, and other essential services. Nearly 200 families have been serviced by the center, according to authorities. Rescue personnel are also collecting and cataloguing personal artifacts recovered in the wreckage of the condominium complex, such as photos, technology devices, documents, and jewelry, according to Levine Cava. Authorities are working on a system that will allow relatives and survivors to return missing items that have been discovered./n
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