Six more bodies have been found under the rubble of the partially collapsed apartment building near Miami Beach, Florida. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced this at a press conference. Adding the previous finds, the death toll now rises to eighteen.
Two of the newly found bodies belong to children, Levine Cava said. 145 residents are still missing. Rescuers are still hoping to get people out of the rubble alive, even though that hasn’t happened for several hours after the collapse last week.
A ramp has now been built near the collapsed building that allows rescuers to deploy heavier machinery. This may allow them to move large chunks of concrete faster, which, according to the fire service, “could lead to very good news”.
Storms at sea
Meanwhile, the weather conditions in the Atlantic Ocean are being watched with some care. There may be two tropical storms that could make work at the partially collapsed flat more difficult next week. The operation has been extra in recent days difficult by heavy showers. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring whether the storms at sea will cause problems.
Due to the risk of bad weather, authorities in the state of Florida have asked the federal government for additional rescue workers. In the event of a storm, a Virginia crew will likely be on hand to assist.
President Joe Biden and his wife Jill are expected to visit the crash site today. There they will thank rescue workers for their efforts and speak with relatives of residents of the flat.
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