Why does the search for survivors seem to be slow?
3:57
(CNN) -
Search and rescue efforts continue in Miami after a building partially collapsed in Surfside early Thursday morning.
The tragedy in this building - a condominium tower with 136 apartments - has left at least 9 people dead and the whereabouts of at least 152 people after the collapse are unknown.
The building showed signs of subsidence in the 1990s, according to a study.
Another study, from 2018, warned of damage to the structure.
Minute by minute: A building in Miami partially collapses;
the death toll increases
Some families are frustrated by the pace of rescue efforts, but acknowledge that authorities and rescuers are doing their best.
Why have the jobs taken time?
This is mentioned by experts.
1. Machines work with care in the building in Miami
There are machines at the site of the collapse that move the debris.
They do this very carefully so as not to disturb the gaps in which survivors could be trapped.
Therefore, these maneuvers should not be rushed.
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2. Listening tasks
Rescuers are using listening equipment that is sensitive enough to detect the ticking of a clock or a survivor trying to make himself heard in the rubble.
However, this takes time as there is a lot of noise emanating from the rubble, according to Raide Jadallah, deputy chief of operations for the Miami-Dade Fire Department.
3. Weather: rain and winds
Weather conditions have also delayed rescue efforts at times.
Rain and winds at the site can disturb debris in the landslide area, posing a danger to rescuers, Jadallah said.
4. Fires
Another factor for the delay of the rescue maneuvers in the building in Miami are the fires that are registered in the place, which have been caused by overheated lithium-ion batteries and other combustible materials, authorities mentioned.
What about these fires?
In some cases, they interfere with infrared sensor technology that rescuers use to find survivors;
the water used to put out the flames "adds an enormous amount of weight to the debris" (which is also the case with rainwater), said Florida Fire Chief Jimmy Patronis.
"This calls into question the integrity of what is still standing, and that delicate balance of saving lives and risking them at the same time," Patronis said.
5. Premeditated work
Despite the delays due to all the factors mentioned, an expert assured that the work is carried out at a "fast pace", but taking into account that it must be done reflectively.
The work is "methodical, fast-paced, and at the same time premeditated," said Scott Goldstein, an urban search and rescue specialist who heads the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service in Maryland.
6. Progressive building collapse in Miami
Relatives visit the scene of the tragedy in Miami 6:46
Despite the families' understandable frustration with the pace of the work, the work, as mentioned above, is carried out as carefully as possible in order to find any survivors.
The condo tower in Miami appears to have suffered what is known as a 'progressive collapse', meaning that the walls that provide the building's structure have failed, so gaps (where there could be survivors) may be less common here. than in a building where only a wall, bracket or other support mechanisms failed, Goldstein said.
However, a video released by county authorities Thursday night shows gaps in the underground parking area, he added.
“Each of these spaces offers opportunities for a survival zone.
In seven to ten days, it's not uncommon for someone to be found alive and pulled out of a horrible event like this, ”adds search and rescue specialist Goldstein.
With information from CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin, Aya Elamroussi and Ray Sanchez.
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