The county government issued a statement late Thursday, stating that the task of identifying victims has become increasingly difficult, relying heavily on the technical and scientific work of the forensic office and experts. As the restoration work continues, more than 12 million kilograms of debris and concrete have been removed.

The cause of the collapse has not been ascertained, although there have been multiple warnings of major structural damage to the 40-year-old building.

On Wednesday, a judge approved the sale of this beachfront property, with proceeds aimed at benefiting the victims of the deadly disaster. According to court records, at the hearing, Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman ordered the sale of Champlain Tan’s website, which may be sold for between US$100 million and US$110 million.

The judge also approved the return of some $2.4 million deposits paid by some Champlain apartment owners to pay for the $15 million planned overhaul.

Focus on old buildings

The collapse of Surfside has aroused people’s attention and attention to other old apartment buildings. Two high-rise buildings in Miami-Dade County have been evacuated due to structural problems. Officials said that a three-story apartment building northwest of Miami Dade was evacuated after a partial roof collapsed on Thursday.

Helicopter footage from WSVN showed a long roof overhang falling from one side of the building complex to the ground below. The roof does not seem to collapse into any unit. Fire rescue spokesperson Erica Benitez confirmed that the damage was limited to the exterior of the building.