Enlarge image
Mission work in the rubble (end of June)
Photo: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP
More than a month after the partial collapse of a twelve-story high-rise building in the US state of Florida, emergency services have identified the remains of the last missing person.
The death toll rose to 98. That said the mayor of Miami-Dade, Daniella Levine Cava.
A 54-year-old woman had previously been considered missing.
The residential complex known as Champlain Towers South with around 130 units collapsed on June 24th in Surfside near Miami for reasons that were still unclear.
For security reasons, the rest of the building was later deliberately blown up.
Survivors were only found in the first hours after the collapse.
Around two weeks ago, the rescue was therefore converted into a salvage operation.
At the weekend, the fire brigade finally stopped their rescue work at the accident site.
Almost all of the debris was removed and stored near Miami International Airport.
There, police forensic scientists are now continuing their search for human remains and personal effects.
The disaster had shaken the community and the whole country badly.
Mayor Levine Cava spoke of an "unthinkable tragedy" on Monday.
Nothing could bring the "98 angels" back, but the emergency services had done everything so that the relatives would at least have certainty.
aar / dpa
