U.S. authorities had no information on Thursday about the fate of 99 people, the part of the apartment building where they lived, which collapsed near Miami, raising fears that the death toll will be very heavy.
According to ABC News and the Miami Herald, three people have been confirmed dead, 12 injured – two in critical condition – and 99 missing.
It is unknown exactly how many of the tenants of the apartments in the part of the apartment building that collapsed were inside their homes when the disaster occurred, at 01:30. Surfing officials were unable to confirm the exact number of missing in the Champlain Towers complex.
According to the Miami-Dade County Fire Department, 35 people have been rescued so far. The rescue of a little boy was recorded on video.
What happened in the apartment building “is unthinkable,” said Daniela Levine Cava, head of the county authorities, talking about a “horrible nightmare”.
The building, very close to the sea, was built in 1981 and had 136 apartments. In the part that collapsed – for reasons still unclear – were 55 of these apartments.
According to Ms. Levine Kava, “102 people have been identified (…) and are safe”, but “we do not yet have any news of at least 99” people.
Firefighters and units with specially trained dogs are always at the scene of the disaster. The head of the county stressed that she will give the next press conference at 08:00 in the morning (local time; at 15:00 Greek time).
President Joe Biden said the federal search and rescue services were ready to assist if requested in rescue and rescue operations or in transporting rescuers to hospitals.
According to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, “about a third of the missing” are “foreigners” and “we are in contact with consulates in various Latin American countries to help family members of victims who will need to come to the United States to secure visas “.
Among those missing are nine Argentines, three Uruguayans and three Paraguayans. Relatives of Paraguay’s first lady, Silvana Lopez Moreira, are among those living in the collapsed part of the building, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Euclides Acevedo confirmed. She is her sister, her sister’s husband and their three children, she clarified.
