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The death toll from the collapsed condominium tower in Surfside rose to 9 on Sunday. Over 150 people are still unaccounted for. Four more victims were identified Sunday night by Miami-Dade police.
Here is what we know about the tower collapse and rescue efforts on Monday.
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What’s the latest from the Surfside, Florida, condo collapse
The painstaking and dangerous search for survivors from a condo building collapse continued Sunday in a seaside town north of Miami Beach, as families and community members held out hope that the 152 missing would be found alive.
“We just need a few more miracles each day,” Seaside Mayor Charles Burkett said at a Sunday afternoon press conference.
Nine people have been confirmed dead, with eight of them being pulled from the debris. The other died in the hospital Sunday.
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Leon Oliwkowicz, Luis Bermudez, Anna Ortiz, Christina Beatriz Elvir latest victims identified
Miami-Dade police on Sunday night released the following names of victims who have been identified. They are:
- Leon Oliwkowicz, 80. His body was recovered on June 26.
- Luis Bermudez, 26. His body was recovered on June 26.
- Anna Ortiz, 46. Her body was recovered on June 26.
- Christina Beatriz Elvir, 74. Her body was recovered on June 27.
In addition to Stacie Dawn Fang, who was the first victim named, these names were released Saturday night by Miami-Dade police:
- Antonio Lozano, 83, of apartment 903. His body was recovered on June 24.
- Gladys Lozano, 79, of apartment 903. Her body was recovered on June 25.
- Manual LaFont, 54, of apartment 801. His body was recovered on June 25.
Is the Champlain Towers North building safe?
Hours after the Champlain Towers South building partly collapsed early Thursday, leaving at least nine dead and more than 150 missing, many people had one question: What about the condo’s north tower?
Champlain Towers North sits at 8877 Collins Avenue in Surfside, just a bit north of the south tower, but didn’t appear to suffer any damages.
Still, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett on Sunday said residents had been asking about the safety of the building, so he reached out for help. If people wanted to evacuate the north tower, resources would be available to them, he said. He didn’t specify what resources. Read more.
What caused the Surfside condo tower to collapse?
Researchers and engineers across the nation are trying to figure out what caused the Champlain Tower South’s early morning collapse, and what that might mean for other aging high-rises along the Florida coast and the rest of the country.
There are no clear answers. USA TODAY spoke Friday with more than a dozen experts without finding a consensus. Some pointed to sea level rise and the corrosive effect of saltwater brought with encroaching tides. Others wondered about the stability of the ground beneath or more mundane matters such as shoddy construction or lax oversight.
Two engineers who reviewed a surveillance video of the collapse in slow motion said it appears the upper part of the building’s middle section collapsed before the lower part. [Read more]
A Morabito Consultants report sheds light on Champlain Towers South defects
There were reports released Friday and Saturday, some only a few pages long and others more than 300, ranging from detailed plans to permits for concrete repair to a courtesy notice reminding residents to turn off exterior lights so baby turtles wouldn’t be confused when they hatched and not make it to the safety of the ocean.
The inspection report from Oct. 8, 2018, found “abundant” cracking and spalling of the columns, beams and walls in the garage under the tower that fell. Spalling refers to the deterioration of concrete, sometime causing flaking and the exposure of reinforcing steel bars known as rebar.
“Abundant cracking and spalling of varying degrees were observed in the concrete columns, beams and walls” of the ground floor parking garage, according to a structural field survey report by Morabito Consultants.
A Sept. 6, 2018, inspection report by Frank Morabito stated no bulging or settlement was observed. However, it noted that approximately 8% of the concrete slabs in the garage and building plaza had experienced “concrete deterioration.” In addition, about 5% of the balcony structural floor slabs showed hairline cracking. [Read more]
Who are the missing?
Anguished family members, many upset at the slow pace of recovery, were given a private tour of the area Sunday afternoon. As of Sunday, at least nine have been confirmed dead and more than 150 people are still unaccounted for, authorities said..
The collapse has become an international tragedy as news reverberates globally of missing residents with roots around the world, reflecting the Miami area’s international mix. Among them are dozens of Jews, South American immigrants and the sister of Paraguay’s first lady.
Here’s what we know about those who are missing.
Using Facebook and Twitter: Loved ones share anguished posts online to help search for missing
How to help the victims of Surfside
We are updating information on how the public can help those impacted by the tower collapse. See our resources guide here.
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