June 25 (Reuters) – The death toll from the collapse of a Miami oceanfront apartment block has risen to three, ABC News reported, and nearly 100 people remained unaccounted for as rescue workers continued their search for survivors in the rubble.
U.S. President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration in the state of Florida and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts.
“The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts,” the White House said on Friday.
Rescue crews picked through tons of rubble on Thursday looking for survivors. read more
Search teams detected sounds of banging and other noises but no voices coming from the mounds of debris hours after a large section of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, a barrier island town across Biscayne Bay from the city, crumbled to the ground, authorities said.
Footage captured by a security camera nearby showed an entire side of the building crumbling in two sections, one after the other, throwing up clouds of dust at about 1:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) on Thursday.
What caused the 40-year-old high-rise to cave in within seconds was not immediately known, although local officials said the 12-storey tower was undergoing roof construction and other repairs.
Source: Death toll in Miami building collapse rises to three-ABC News | Reuters
