News: 97 fatalities after a building partially collapsed in Surfside, Florida (Update on settlement)

[Arcadia]

Saw the news in the morning but didn’t realize so many are still unaccounted for

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/miami-florida-building-collapse-06-24-21/index.html

(ETA: news updates link changed https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/miami-florida-building-collapse-06-25-21/index.html

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/miami-florida-building-collapse-06-27-21-intl/index.html)

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/miami-florida-building-collapse-06-28-21-intl/index.html
“

5 min ago

Here's where you can find information about missing loved ones 

According to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, 102 people have been accounted for in the building collapse in Surfside, Florida, but at least 99 people are still unaccounted for as search and rescue efforts continue.

A family reunification center has been set-up for anyone looking for missing people. According to the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department, it is located at: 9301 Collins Avenue, Surfside, Florida.

Emergency officials are also asking people to call 305-614-1819 if they have relatives who are unaccounted for.

…

52 min ago

Search crews have heard sound from the rubble, state fire marshal says

From CNN’s Leyla Santiago and John Couwels

State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis tells CNN that tactical units working the collapsed building heard sounds from the rubble earlier today as they did search and rescue efforts.

Patronis said that rescuers heard an individual earlier today in the parking garage area that they are having difficulty getting to.

Patronis described what search and rescue units are experiencing in the building.

“It’s like going to the gym but it’s not air conditioned, trying to remove rubble but at the same time fearful that the debris around you could come down on you. There’s flooding, there’s fuel, there’s unstable ground, in addition, the challenge of the urgency of saving lives,” he said. 

Patronis said that this remains an active rescue mission as they determine how much further they can go safely into the building.”

ETA:

https://www.townofsurfsidefl.gov/news-and-events/news-detail/2021/06/24/champlain-towers-partial-collapse-emergency-closings-and-cancellations

“Donations are now being accepted at the Feeding South Florida warehouse (2501 SW 32 Terrace | Pembroke Pines, FL 33023).

SupportSurfside.org – The Surfside Hardship Fund
The Coral Gables Community Foundation, the Miami Foundation, The Knight Foundation, Key Biscayne Community Foundation and others have set up a fund that will directly contribute to victims and the families of those impacted by this tragic event.
www.supportsurfside.org

GoFundMe
Fundraising platform GoFundMe has created a dedicated webpage for all the different funds related to victims and those affected. 
Surfside Condo Collapse: Here’s How to Help on GoFundMe

The Shul 
The Shul in Surfside is accepting donations for those impacted by the collapse. To donate, visit www.theshul.org/8777”

Edited May 12, 2022 by Arcadia

[Catwoman]

It’s awful, and the number of missing people keeps going up. 😢

[mommyoffive]

So incredibly sad.  I saw the news when I woke up this morning.  My heart just goes out to anyone who is affected by this.

I was just reading this article and if you page down you see what the building looked like before to now.   Just no words.

Florida building collapse latest: 3 dead, as many as 99 missing (msn.com)

[HeartString]

I don’t understand how a building just….falls down.  

[catz]

1 minute ago, HeartString said:

I don’t understand how a building just….falls down.  

Right!?  Very 3rd world kind of tragedy.  Heartbroken for those affected.  😞 

[Faith-manor]

That is gut wrenching! I hope they begin finding people alive very, very soon. Hugs to all the families and the city in general.

[pinball]

Godspeed to all the rescuers!

It is very early hours into this type of tragedy. People can and have lived days trapped in rubble. There is still room for hope.

[Arcadia]

42 minutes ago, HeartString said:

I don’t understand how a building just….falls down.  

 

41 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

Right!?  Very 3rd world kind of tragedy.  Heartbroken for those affected.  😞 

Looks like structural failure, shear wall collapse. The kind more often seen with earthquakes. 

[Melissa in Australia]

So sad. 

[Ausmumof3]

Feeling so much for those with missing loved ones 😞 

[zimom]

I feel like someone gaping at a traffic accident but I'm still trying to figure out how much of the building collapsed.   Even viewing the picture from the beach I'm just not grasping how much is gone.   I wish there was some type of aerial shot before and after.    To my eyes it seems like just the balconies but realistically I know it is much more.   

When I first heard the news this morning it was hard to believe it was in Miami.   Haiti, China, but not here in the US???

 

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, ZiMom said:

I feel like someone gaping at a traffic accident but I'm still trying to figure out how much of the building collapsed.   Even viewing the picture from the beach I'm just not grasping how much is gone.   I wish there was some type of aerial shot before and after.    To my eyes it seems like just the balconies but realistically I know it is much more.   

When I first heard the news this morning it was hard to believe it was in Miami.   Haiti, China, but not here in the US???

 

Quoting myself here.  There is a place where you can see what the building looked like before in this article.  There is a ton missing.  

I was just reading this article and if you page down you see what the building looked like before to now.   Just no words.

Florida building collapse latest: 3 dead, as many as 99 missing (msn.com)

[Longtime Lurker]

3 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

So incredibly sad.  I saw the news when I woke up this morning.  My heart just goes out to anyone who is affected by this.

I was just reading this article and if you page down you see what the building looked like before to now.   Just no words.

Florida building collapse latest: 3 dead, as many as 99 missing (msn.com)

I can't get over the picture of the bunk beds on the top floor. Suddenly with no wall next to them 😞

[mommyoffive]

3 minutes ago, Longtime Lurker said:

I can't get over the picture of the bunk beds on the top floor. Suddenly with no wall next to them 😞

I know.  I was watching the news cast this morning and that picture was on there forever.  I just kept thinking about the possible kids who were sleeping in that bunk. 

[KSera]

2 hours ago, Seasider too said:

So, so sad. It’s hard to know exactly how many are missing because it wasn’t strictly full time residential; there are many seasonal occupants.  

This gives me a little bit of hope, because I’d been thinking of it as all 55 collapsed units occupied. Hopefully as many as possible were unoccupied. It’s awful 😞. 

[TexasProud]

39 minutes ago, ZiMom said:

I feel like someone gaping at a traffic accident but I'm still trying to figure out how much of the building collapsed.   Even viewing the picture from the beach I'm just not grasping how much is gone.   I wish there was some type of aerial shot before and after.    To my eyes it seems like just the balconies but realistically I know it is much more.   

When I first heard the news this morning it was hard to believe it was in Miami.   Haiti, China, but not here in the US???

 

If you search on CNN, they have video of the collapse from a security camera.  I had flashbacks to 9/11

[Arcadia]

3 hours ago, Seasider too said:

Studies done years ago showed land around the building had been sinking for many years. IMO a detailed investigation will find this disaster was mounting for a long time. 

From the same CNN article. The building was on reclaimed land which makes construction and maintenance more difficult. The inspection team was either not thorough enough or they did not list every issue.
“

1 hr 40 min ago

Attorney for residents association says collapsed building had "thorough engineering inspections"

From CNN's Curt Devine

Kenneth Direktor, an attorney for the association of residents at the Champlain Towers South condo, said the building had “thorough engineering inspections over the last several months” in preparation for compliance with a 40-year certification.

“What that tells you is…. nothing like this was foreseeable, at least it wasn’t seen by the engineers who were looking at the building from a structural perspective,” he told CNN. “There was nothing to indicate something like this was going to happen."

Direktor told CNN an engineer had already conducted inspections to determine needed repairs, but the only repair that had actually commenced was a replacement of the roof.

Asked how he would describe the building’s condition, Direktor said, “the building was in the condition you would expect for a building that is 40 years old, that is located on the Atlantic Ocean.”

Though he added that “the building has been maintained over its existence.”

Direktor said he has not spoken to the engineer who performed these inspections, and he understands that that individual has been appointed by the city to work on the investigation of the collapse.”

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, ZiMom said:

I feel like someone gaping at a traffic accident but I'm still trying to figure out how much of the building collapsed.   Even viewing the picture from the beach I'm just not grasping how much is gone.   I wish there was some type of aerial shot before and after.    To my eyes it seems like just the balconies but realistically I know it is much more.   

BBC has a good photo description 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57592827.amp
“ 
A man who lives in a neighbouring building described what happened for CBS: "The building shook and then I looked out the window and you couldn't see, I thought it was like a storm or something coming in. 

"When the dust cleared, the back two-thirds of the building was gone, it was down to the ground”

[Terabith]

I find myself wondering if a sinkhole opened?  The whole thing is horrific beyond words.  

[HeartString]

37 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

BBC has a good photo description 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57592827.amp
“ 
A man who lives in a neighbouring building described what happened for CBS: "The building shook and then I looked out the window and you couldn't see, I thought it was like a storm or something coming in. 

"When the dust cleared, the back two-thirds of the building was gone, it was down to the ground”

Boy, that’s just gone.

[SeaConquest]

Everything is pure speculation at this point, but I am in the climate change camp. I can't imagine that rising sea water isn't going to impact more 40+ year old buildings in Miami's future. It's horrific and, I am afraid, just the beginning.

[Tanaqui]

Unfortunately, a friend of a friend is presumed dead in this collapse. I mean, they're hoping, but....

[Tanaqui]

That BBC article, saying it's like looking from something from 9/11 - I remember after 9/11 some of my sister's friends, who were ironworkers, were weeks on the site. That's how I learned that you can't just dig like you're planting a tree. If you do, the whole thing will collapse worse. You need to take your time, which is the worst, because while you're taking your time people are down there.

[mommyoffive]

17 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

Unfortunately, a friend of a friend is presumed dead in this collapse. I mean, they're hoping, but....

Oh no.  I am sending all good thoughts and prayers.  I am sorry.

[sassenach]

3 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Quoting myself here.  There is a place where you can see what the building looked like before in this article.  There is a ton missing.  

I was just reading this article and if you page down you see what the building looked like before to now.   Just no words.

Florida building collapse latest: 3 dead, as many as 99 missing (msn.com)

The missing part is way bigger than I thought.

[YaelAldrich]

I just got back from Surfside just now. My hotel was 5 blocks away from the collapsed building. I vaguely remember hearing sirens late last night while I slept but living in a city I expect to hear sirens all the time so didn't think anything of it.

My husband texted me this morning asking if I were ok. I didn't know what he was talking about until I looked at the news on my phone. I didn't go down to hawk at the site. I was just biking by there yesterday though so I totally knew where it was.

Traffic was blocked off all day and the news crews, fire, police, rescue, and auxiliary forces were mobbed for many blocks around the building front and back. 

The shopping/eating area nearby was about half open, half closed. Most stores had few if any customers. I had to grab a bite to eat at lunchtime and the hostess told me she had to walk in because of the area closures.

Getting an Uber was insane as well. I had to walk about 20 blocks to get to an area I could catch a ride. People were arguing and ignoring the instructions of the police in the area. 

As many of y'all know my DH studies disasters and we have been the survivors of several disasters great and small. I'm sadly adding this one to my lists.

Many of the missing are Orthodox Jews. Please pray for all the missing and their families. The Red Cross was staging for evacuees at the hotel at which i was staying. About 30 came in with Red Cross blankets and trash bags full of their belongings. The Jewish community was mobilizing to bring in trucks of things the evacuees needed as well as food for the workers and evacuees. I saw a non Jewish food truck that I guess also was mobilized for this purpose.

 

 

[mommyoffive]

2 minutes ago, YaelAldrich said:

I just got back from Surfside just now. My hotel was 5 blocks away from the collapsed building. I vaguely remember hearing sirens late last night while I slept but living in a city I expect to hear sirens all the time so didn't think anything of it.

My husband texted me this morning asking if I were ok. I didn't know what he was talking about until I looked at the news on my phone. I didn't go down to hawk at the site. I was just biking by there yesterday though so I totally knew where it was.

Traffic was blocked off all day and the news crews, fire, police, rescue, and auxiliary forces were mobbed for many blocks around the building front and back. 

The shopping/eating area nearby was about half open, half closed. Most stores had few if any customers. I had to grab a bite to eat at lunchtime and the hostess told me she had to walk in because of the area closures.

Getting an Uber was insane as well. I had to walk about 20 blocks to get to an area I could catch a ride. People were arguing and ignoring the instructions of the police in the area. 

As many of y'all know my DH studies disasters and we have been the survivors of several disasters great and small. I'm sadly adding this one to my lists.

Many of the missing are Orthodox Jews. Please pray for all the missing and their families. The Red Cross was staging for evacuees at the hotel at which i was staying. About 30 came in with Red Cross blankets and trash bags full of their belongings. The Jewish community was mobilizing to bring in trucks of things the evacuees needed as well as food for the workers and evacuees. I saw a non Jewish food truck that I guess also was mobilized for this purpose.

 

 

I am so glad you are ok.  So scary.

[YaelAldrich]

48 minutes ago, Tanaqui said:

That BBC article, saying it's like looking from something from 9/11 - I remember after 9/11 some of my sister's friends, who were ironworkers, were weeks on the site. That's how I learned that you can't just dig like you're planting a tree. If you do, the whole thing will collapse worse. You need to take your time, which is the worst, because while you're taking your time people are down there.

On the local news relatives were screaming and holding that the rescue teams were not frantically digging to find survivors. But I know they really can't do that. The rubble would collapse more and possibly kill the rescuers and anything who might have been able to survive the pancaking of the floors/ceilings.

[BeachGal]

I read on a contractor forum that Miami had to level many buildings and parking lots some time ago because they had used seawater to make concrete. The salt in the water eventually corroded the steel reinforcement. It can also adversely affect concrete’s structure. Nowadays, I believe there are newer types of material — coated rebar, special concretes, etc — but I don't think these were available back then. Not sure.

Regardless, what a horrifically sad tragedy for the victims and their friends and families.

[YaelAldrich]

6 minutes ago, Plum said:

Yes much bigger than I thought. 

I heard it was raining? Absolutely horrific. 

Remember that explosion in Beirut last year? They had to go slow for fear of causing collapse in pockets.

I’m so sorry @YaelAldrichhoping they find the missing safe and sound. 

There was a steady rain all morning long. I'm sure it didn't help the rescuers but I hope the rain perhaps gave any survivors water to drink in the rubble.

[BeachGal]

1 hour ago, SeaConquest said:

Everything is pure speculation at this point, but I am in the climate change camp. I can't imagine that rising sea water isn't going to impact more 40+ year old buildings in Miami's future. It's horrific and, I am afraid, just the beginning.

I wonder about this as well. Miami Beach has undertaken a huge infrastructure project designed to deal with the rising sea waters for a few decades or so, such as raising roads, but it might not be enough.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/bracing-for-sea-rise-miami-beach-fights-a-tide-of-angry-residents-11583526613

 

@YaelAldrich I am glad you are safe, too.

[Arcadia]

CNN update

“18 min ago

More people from Latin American countries reported missing following building collapse 

From CNN en Español's Gerardo Lemos and CNN's Radina Gigova

Authorities from several countries in Latin America have confirmed that nationals from their respective countries resided or were in the building in Surfside, Florida, that collapsed early Thursday. 

Here is the breakdown: 

Paraguay: 6 nationals missing, including Paraguayan First Lady Silvana López Moreira's sister, brother-in-law and their three children.

Colombia: 6 nationals resided in the building.

Venezuela: 6 nationals are missing.

Argentina: 9 nationals are missing.

Uruguay: 3 citizens are missing”

[Pawz4me]

8 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

Direktor said he has not spoken to the engineer who performed these inspections, and he understands that that individual has been appointed by the city to work on the investigation of the collapse.”

Huh. I kinda sorta understand why that might be (knowledge of the building), but still . . . it screams conflict of interest, doesn't it?

[Lanny]

I have not read all of the previous responses so if someone else has posted this link before me, I apologize.  There are SO MANY possible causes of this disaster and I wonder if it might be a combination of things.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/miami-building-collapse-possible-causes

Please, when you pray to God, include the victims and their families and the rescue people.

[TravelingChris]

7 hours ago, YaelAldrich said:

I just got back from Surfside just now. My hotel was 5 blocks away from the collapsed building. I vaguely remember hearing sirens late last night while I slept but living in a city I expect to hear sirens all the time so didn't think anything of it.

My husband texted me this morning asking if I were ok. I didn't know what he was talking about until I looked at the news on my phone. I didn't go down to hawk at the site. I was just biking by there yesterday though so I totally knew where it was.

Traffic was blocked off all day and the news crews, fire, police, rescue, and auxiliary forces were mobbed for many blocks around the building front and back. 

The shopping/eating area nearby was about half open, half closed. Most stores had few if any customers. I had to grab a bite to eat at lunchtime and the hostess told me she had to walk in because of the area closures.

Getting an Uber was insane as well. I had to walk about 20 blocks to get to an area I could catch a ride. People were arguing and ignoring the instructions of the police in the area. 

As many of y'all know my DH studies disasters and we have been the survivors of several disasters great and small. I'm sadly adding this one to my lists.

Many of the missing are Orthodox Jews. Please pray for all the missing and their families. The Red Cross was staging for evacuees at the hotel at which i was staying. About 30 came in with Red Cross blankets and trash bags full of their belongings. The Jewish community was mobilizing to bring in trucks of things the evacuees needed as well as food for the workers and evacuees. I saw a non Jewish food truck that I guess also was mobilized for this purpose.

 

 

And also a number seemed to be Latin Americans here to get vaccines that they couldn't get in their own countries.

[TravelingChris]

7 hours ago, BeachGal said:

I read on a contractor forum that Miami had to level many buildings and parking lots some time ago because they had used seawater to make concrete. The salt in the water eventually corroded the steel reinforcement. It can also adversely affect concrete’s structure. Nowadays, I believe there are newer types of material — coated rebar, special concretes, etc — but I don't think these were available back then. Not sure.

Regardless, what a horrifically sad tragedy for the victims and their friends and families.

That was always known to be shoddy construction.  That is why there are many building in Miami Beach standing that are nearly or actually a hundred years old and that have withstood lots of hurricanes.  

There was a mystery written John D. McDonald- Condiminium in 1977 which was all about nefarious construction shortcuts./

[TravelingChris]

I read or saw a report with an geologist from Florida Internation University,   He and his team were tasked with figuring out which parts of Miami Dade were most vulnerable to rising sea waters and to do that they were measuring from the air how much each area was sinking in 2020.  Most areas weren't sinking at all.  That building was sinking millimeters per year.  He said when he heard about the collapse before he saw,  he immediately thought of that building.  

It had been built on reclaimed marsh land- which sounds to me to be a lot less stable than the limestone most of the other areas are built on.

[Faith-manor]

9 hours ago, SeaConquest said:

Everything is pure speculation at this point, but I am in the climate change camp. I can't imagine that rising sea water isn't going to impact more 40+ year old buildings in Miami's future. It's horrific and, I am afraid, just the beginning.

I agree. And though buildings are getting inspected, nothing is being done, for the most parts about erosion, rising sea levels, and other side effects of climate change. So my great fear is that there is a lot of ocean front property around the world that faces this possibility.

We have only had single family dwellings fall into the "sea" here on lake Michigan. But the day is coming soon when it is far worse unfortunately. Only 25 minutes from us, there are several homes in danger on Lake Huron. Years of watching erosion and doing nothing about it, while homeowners constantly killed off the natural vegetation in their "back yards" so their beaches were pristine has had a hand in it. The roots of those plants helped hold the beaches and bluffs together.

I want to hope that the outcome of this horrific collapse will cause the powers that be to take note and begin looking at the future. However, this past year has shown me that not all that many people care enough about others to be willing to take action.

So sad for all of the families awaiting news, and hoping there are survivors, a lot of survivors. CNN reported today that the number missing is 159, and another casualty was pulled from the rubble. 

[Arcadia]

3 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

Huh. I kinda sorta understand why that might be (knowledge of the building), but still . . . it screams conflict of interest, doesn't it?

It depends. The engineer (and the company he works for) might have been summoned to aid in the investigation.  Kind of like whenever there is a plane crash, the plane manufacturer would have to send their representatives to aid in the investigation. 

[Arcadia]

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/miami-florida-building-collapse-06-25-21/index.html
“

26 min ago

At least 31 people from six Latin American countries are still unaccounted for since the building collapse.

Latin American citizens still unaccounted for: 

• Chile: 1 
• Argentina: 9 
• Paraguay: 6 
• Columbia: 6 
• Venezuela: 6 
• Uruguay: 3

 

1 hr 46 min ago

At least 159 people are now unaccounted for in condo collapse, Miami-Dade County mayor says 

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says there are now 159 people unaccounted for after the partial building collapse in Surfside, Florida. This has increased from at least 99 people. 

The number of accounted people has also gone up to 120.

"Unfortunately, this has been a tragic night. We do have 120 people now accounted for, which is very, very good news. But our unaccounted for number has gone up to 159. In addition, we can tragically report the death count is now four," she said Friday.

"I want to be very clear about the numbers. They are very fluid. We'll continue to update you as we have them ... The search and rescue team worked throughout the night, and it was a very active scene," she said.”

[bibiche]

1 hour ago, TravelingChris said:

And also a number seemed to be Latin Americans here to get vaccines that they couldn't get in their own countries.

Where are you getting this information? Have you been to this area? There are always tons of wealthy South Americans who vacation or live part-time in the Miami area. I rather doubt these people came for the express purpose of getting vaccines.

[Arcadia]

4 minutes ago, bibiche said:

Where are you getting this information? Have you been to this area? There are always tons of wealthy South Americans who vacation or live part-time in the Miami area. I rather doubt these people came for the express purpose of getting vaccines.

CNN

“30 min ago

The sister of the first lady, Sophia López Moreira, her husband Luis Pettengill and three children were in the United States to receive Covid-19 vaccinations at the time of the Miami building collapse, according to Paraguay's Foreign Minister Euclides Acevedo.”

[bibiche]

Just now, Arcadia said:

CNN

“30 min ago

The sister of the first lady, Sophia López Moreira, her husband Luis Pettengill and three children were in the United States to receive Covid-19 vaccinations at the time of the Miami building collapse, according to Paraguay's Foreign Minister Euclides Acevedo.”

Ah, okay, so that is a fact. Thank you. I just assumed based on previous posts by PP that it was an assumption. I spend time in the area fairly regularly, and there are always South Americans there.

[Arcadia]

9 hours ago, Plum said:

If that’s the case then SF should pay attention. They are still building in areas they know will be underwater in decades. 

https://www.kazu.org/post/santa-cruz-county-s-plan-sea-level-rise-meets-resistance#stream/0
“Griggs says globally, seas would rise around 190 feet if all of Antarctica melted.

“And now, we’ve built most of the world's great cities, big cities… New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami right at sea level. And those cities hold hundreds of millions of people. So now we've got this dilemma. What are we going to do?"

Griggs says one option is denial. Another is seawalls, or armor. And he says about 25 percent of Santa Cruz County is protected by some type of shoreline armoring. But Griggs says seawalls are not a long-term solution and can shrink beaches, limiting public access.

“Can we build houseboats or floating cities? I don't think that's going to happen,” Griggs said. “The one that nobody wants to mention is called managed retreat.”

Managed retreat involves moving structures away from the coastline.

“And I think one of the challenges we have is nobody wants to leave without being compensated,” said Griggs.

The California Coastal Commission says for most areas, the danger isn’t immediate. But the agency says it’s important to plan now. Local Coastal Programs are one planning tool for local governments. Called LCPs for short, they’re basically a roadmap to guide coastal development in partnership with the Coastal Commission.”

[TravelingChris]

11 minutes ago, bibiche said:

Where are you getting this information? Have you been to this area? There are always tons of wealthy South Americans who vacation or live part-time in the Miami area. I rather doubt these people came for the express purpose of getting vaccines.

One, I have read an article about the trends of wealthy South Americans (and Asians) to come to the US and get vaccinated.  And I have zero issues with that.   Yes, they are coming specifically to get vaccines that aren't available in their countries.  And more to the case, one article I read yesterday- maybe the Daily Mail, had talked with the families of the victims and yes, at least two of the South Americans were there at this particular time to get the vaccines.  Obviously, they have a vacation too since they have to be here for three weeks.

[bibiche]

4 minutes ago, TravelingChris said:

One, I have read an article about the trends of wealthy South Americans (and Asians) to come to the US and get vaccinated.  And I have zero issues with that.   Yes, they are coming specifically to get vaccines that aren't available in their countries.  And more to the case, one article I read yesterday- maybe the Daily Mail, had talked with the families of the victims and yes, at least two of the South Americans were there at this particular time to get the vaccines.  Obviously, they have a vacation too since they have to be here for three weeks.

Thank you. I hadn’t seen this in the news anywhere, mostly because I’ve been limiting my reading as I find the building collapse so upsetting.
 

Most of my friends, wealthy and otherwise, have been able to get vaccines in their home countries, so I have no personal knowledge of vaccine tourism. 

[YaelAldrich]

There is overlap between the Jewish and South American and Central American communities in this area. In the kosher groceries and restaurants I heard as much Spanish as I did English.

[Lady Florida.]

17 hours ago, HeartString said:

I don’t understand how a building just….falls down.  

It's a 40 year old building and by Florida law an inspection was required due to its age. It's my understanding that the inspection wasn't completely finished yet though what was done didn't find any problems. 

16 hours ago, Seasider too said:

Studies done years ago showed land around the building had been sinking for many years. IMO a detailed investigation will find this disaster was mounting for a long time. 

 

14 hours ago, Longtime Lurker said:

I can't get over the picture of the bunk beds on the top floor. Suddenly with no wall next to them 😞

Yes, that really hit me hard when I saw it. 😢

14 hours ago, TexasProud said:

If you search on CNN, they have video of the collapse from a security camera.  I had flashbacks to 9/11

One of the witnesses interviewed said he had flashbacks to 9/11.

12 hours ago, SeaConquest said:

Everything is pure speculation at this point, but I am in the climate change camp. I can't imagine that rising sea water isn't going to impact more 40+ year old buildings in Miami's future. It's horrific and, I am afraid, just the beginning.

I should have quoted differently so that @Seasider too's post and yours were together, but this is the current thinking. Miami is really seeing the effects of climate change though it doesn't get much press. Disposable City is both a love letter to Miami and a warning about climate change.

https://www.amazon.com/Disposable-City-Miamis-Climate-Catastrophe/dp/154178846X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

"Miami, Florida, is likely to be entirely underwater by the end of this century. Residents are already starting to see the effects of sea level rise today. From sunny day flooding caused by higher tides to a sewer system on the brink of total collapse, the city undeniably lives in a climate changed world."
 

"{Miami may be on the front lines of climate change, but the battle it's fighting today is coming for the rest of the U.S. -- and the rest of the world -- far sooner than we could have imagined even a decade ago. Disposable City is a thoughtful portrait of both a vibrant city with a unique culture and the social, economic, and psychic costs of climate change that call us to act before it's too late."

 

[Lady Florida.]

13 hours ago, Terabith said:

I find myself wondering if a sinkhole opened?  

They're not common in that area. It doesn't mean they don't happen but it isn't likely.

11 hours ago, Tanaqui said:

Unfortunately, a friend of a friend is presumed dead in this collapse. I mean, they're hoping, but....

Oh I'm so sorry. 😢

[Lady Florida.]

3 hours ago, TravelingChris said:

 

It had been built on reclaimed marsh land- which sounds to me to be a lot less stable than the limestone most of the other areas are built on.

Much of Miami-Dade and Broward counties were built on drained swamps. The Everglades was much bigger before the land boom of the 1920s drained a good bit of the marsh.

11 hours ago, YaelAldrich said:

I just got back from Surfside just now. My hotel was 5 blocks away from the collapsed building. I vaguely remember hearing sirens late last night while I slept but living in a city I expect to hear sirens all the time so didn't think anything of it.

My husband texted me this morning asking if I were ok. I didn't know what he was talking about until I looked at the news on my phone. I didn't go down to hawk at the site. I was just biking by there yesterday though so I totally knew where it was.

Traffic was blocked off all day and the news crews, fire, police, rescue, and auxiliary forces were mobbed for many blocks around the building front and back. 

The shopping/eating area nearby was about half open, half closed. Most stores had few if any customers. I had to grab a bite to eat at lunchtime and the hostess told me she had to walk in because of the area closures.

Getting an Uber was insane as well. I had to walk about 20 blocks to get to an area I could catch a ride. People were arguing and ignoring the instructions of the police in the area. 

As many of y'all know my DH studies disasters and we have been the survivors of several disasters great and small. I'm sadly adding this one to my lists.

Many of the missing are Orthodox Jews. Please pray for all the missing and their families. The Red Cross was staging for evacuees at the hotel at which i was staying. About 30 came in with Red Cross blankets and trash bags full of their belongings. The Jewish community was mobilizing to bring in trucks of things the evacuees needed as well as food for the workers and evacuees. I saw a non Jewish food truck that I guess also was mobilized for this purpose.

 

My heart goes out to the families of the missing and injured, as well as to those who now have no home. I'm so glad to hear you're okay. Your husband must have been frantic until he heard from you. ((hugs))