The death toll from the collapse of an apartment building in Surfside, Florida, two weeks ago has risen to 86, US authorities said.
Rescuers search for victims under the rubble of a collapsed building in Surfside, Florida, USA, June 29, 2021.
Speaking at a press conference, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said 62 more victims have been identified in what is "the largest emergency response effort in Florida history." Forty-three people are still missing.
After two weeks of racing against time to find survivors, local authorities decided to move to the recovery phase after determining that “the possibility of anyone still alive is almost zero”.
Authorities are currently collecting and cataloging personal items, including photographs, school graduation documents, jewelry and small communication devices, recovered from the site.
Authorities have also taken core concrete samples to “determine strength and composition, looking for potential salt content that could significantly affect the structure”.
On June 24, the 12-story building collapsed at 1:30 a.m. (local time) while many people were sleeping. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the collapse.
The building was built in 1981 and Miami-Dade County officials confirmed the building was undergoing roof repairs when the incident occurred.
According to Tin Tuc Newspaper