The search continues in Miami despite inclement weather 1:17
(CNN) -
Search and rescue efforts at the site of a Florida condo building collapse have become even more urgent as a tropical storm moves toward the state and threatens to complicate operations with downpours and possible tornadoes. .
"We are now at 100% of our full force, pulling everyone out of that pile of rubble," Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told CNN.
She suffers for not having notified her neighbor of the collapse in Miami 1:53
Tropical Storm Elsa has yet to hit Florida in full force, but the rain has started to fall.
Despite the weather conditions, first responders were seen at the scene donning biohazard suits and continuing the search.
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Since June 24, crews have been drilling into several meters of concrete in hopes of finding survivors and recovering the bodies of those who were at Champlain Towers South when part of the building collapsed in the middle of the night.
So far 117 people are still missing and another 28 have been confirmed to have died in the incident.
Rescue work was briefly halted over the weekend while preparations were under way to demolish what was still standing in the building, a move that officials deemed necessary for the safety of rescue teams, particularly with rain forecasts. wind and thunderstorms this week.
Although the storm is expected to pass closer to the west coast of Florida, National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Molleda said Surfside can still see dangerous conditions, including "heavy rain, possible localized flooding and even the possibility of a tornado or two. in South Florida. "
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They update the death toll in Miami to 28 4:26
The storm can bring complications, but with the demolition of the remaining structure, the efforts are much safer, authorities said.
"The worst thing that could have happened was a storm coming in and knocking the building down on top of the rubble," Burkett said.
That threat had prevented crews from accessing much of the crash site, but now work has resumed without "imminent danger," Burkett said.
Minute by minute: the search continues
"It is encouraging to see how aggressively they are attacking the pile of rubble," he said.
The demolition opened search areas but buried residents' belongings
Authorities said Sunday night's demolition had helped facilitate and provide safety and speed for crews operating in the pile of rubble.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Monday that crews on the ground are making "great progress" and that while the demolition decision was not made by his office, he thought it was "the right thing to do" to help everyone move forward. .
This is how the remains of the building were left after the total collapse 1:37
The danger was that the structure could topple over existing debris, or the crews working on it, with very little warning or control.
Instead, Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Monday that crews were able to carry out the demolition "exactly as planned."
"Only the dust fell on the existing pile," he said.
"We really couldn't go on without tearing down this building," Cava said.
"As we speak, crews are working on that part of the pile that was not accessible before the building was demolished."
But the feelings are more complicated for residents who lived in the part of the building that was demolished: They were evacuated and later told that it was not safe to enter and collect their belongings before the structure was torn down.
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Burkett said people around the world have raised millions of dollars to support those families, many of whom have been relocated to hotels.
Officials have also asked them to catalog their personal items in hopes of recovering them from the rubble and returning them.
"All politicians are focused on supporting families and getting everyone out of that pile of rubble and reuniting them with their families," Burkett told CNN's Boris Sánchez.
"It is something really beautiful. There is a lot of love here."
Dust and desolation leaves the demolition of the collapsed building 3:37
The authorities do not lose hope of finding living people
Since returning to work after the demolition, rescue teams have recovered four more bodies.
Two of the deceased have been identified as Ingrid Ainsworth, 66, and Tzvi Ainsworth, 68, according to the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Two of the 28 fatalities remain unidentified.
The victims are between 4 and 92 years old.
As search operations approach two weeks, the Israel Defense Forces National Rescue Unit at the National Front Command said it is still a rescue mission.
He lost almost everything in the Miami collapse, except his life 0:49
That means officials are not just looking for remains, there is still hope of finding victims alive.
"Don't give up hope," Burkett said.
"I think we are all united in that. We owe it to the families. We have a duty, unlimited resources: we will make sure everyone gets out."
CNN's Allison Flexner, Raja Razek, Amanda Watts, Kay Jones, Gregory Lemos, and Rosa Flores contributed to this report.
Miami
