On Thursday, a 12-storey building in Surfside, Florida, just outside Miami collapsed; The Champlain Towers South.
Rescue teams worked through the night in search of survivors where officials reported at least three people are dead and dozens more feared to be killed in the collapse of the apartment, according to The Times of Israel.
What caused the apartment in Florida to collapse?
JUST IN: Video I’ve obtained of the building collapse in Surfside, Florida. pic.twitter.com/BGbRC7iSI9
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) June 24, 2021
According to iNews, Miami-Dade county mayor Daniella Levine Cava said there were “structural issues” with the building, adding that structural engineers were working with firefighters to shore up the part of the building left standing.
The Champlain Towers South had more than 130 units, about 80 were occupied. Officials said the apartments were built in 1981, the apartment building had been going through inspections recently due to the building construction, Surfside commissioner Charles Kesl told Local 10 that Champlain Towers was undergoing its 40-year recertification.
18 hours after the collapse, while another 102 people have been located and “declared safe”. According to The Times of Israel, no Israeli nationals are currently known to be unaccounted for. Earlier reports indicated many of those missing were Israeli citizens.
Joe Biden declares Florida apartment building collapse “national emergency”
US President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration in the state of Florida and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts according to Business Live.
“I made it clear that I say to the people of Florida: Whatever help you want that the federal government can provide, we’re waiting,” Biden said earlier Thursday, 24 June “Just ask us; we’ll be there. We’ll be there.“The president’s action authorises the department of homeland security and Federal Emergency Management Agency, to coordinate all disaster relief efforts,” the White House said on Friday, 25 June.