UPDATE: As of Friday, June 25, the numbers from this terrifying incident near Miami have been updated. According to CBS News, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed on Friday that at least four people have died and 159 are still unaccounted for following the devastating partial building collapse Thursday morning. Mayor Daniella Levin Cava also confirms that 120 people have been accounted for.
Furthermore, CBS News reports that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has reportedly declared a state of emergency in Miami-Dade County, and President Biden has also approved an emergency declaration. As a result, the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency will be able to "coordinate all disaster relief efforts" to the tragic situation in Florida.
"All operations are occurring underneath the rubble. They are occurring underneath the parking garage where we have teams of firefighters constantly as they continue making cuts, breaches and placing sonar devices, search cams to locate victims," he said during a news conference. "We did receive sounds. Not necessarily people talking, but sounds. What sounds like people banging, not people but sounds of a possibility of a banging. We haven't heard any voices coming from the pile."
Authorities have not confirmed what may have caused the collapse, but Atorod Azizinamini, Chair of the FIU College of Engineering and Computing’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, told NBC Miami that experts will look for signs of corrosion, any unusual events, and more.
The 12-story beachfront condominium was built in 1981.
Heat star Tyler Herro was seen on-site helping rescuers.
[Via]