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By Beth Stibal |

Search for the living ends in Surfside

Karen Chambers, Abby
Karen Chambers, of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, gives a dog named Abby a drink while working near the rubble of the collapsed Champlain Towers South condominium building, Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. The dog is part of a canine response team which provides emotional support to workers on the scene of a disaster. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

(Surfside, FL) — With no sign of life for days as of Thursday morning the search and rescue effort in Surfside has shifted to simply recovery of the dead.
As of noon, the death toll in the south Florida condo collapse stands at 60.
Miami Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said work continues with speed and urgency despite switching to recovery mode.
Today marks two weeks since the collapse and Cava said those involved in the recovery mission paused for a moment of silence early this morning.

Additionally, Cava said recovery teams are carefully logging personal items and working with religious experts to handle remains with as much care as possible.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said transitioning to a recovery operation was “tough,” but he promised the work would go on to identify every single person.
The governor also noted he’s going to meet some of the families to figure out what needs they have right now.

DeSantis also says he believes the condo collapse is not a sign of widespread issues adding that condos are “kind of a dime a dozen, particularly in southern Florida.”
Gov. DeSantis said Wednesday that the building that collapsed “had problems from the start.” The 12-story building in Surfside, next to Miami Beach, was going through its 40-year recertification process when it collapsed on June 24th.

Meantime, DeSantis said Tropical Storm Elsa had a “minimal impact” at the site of the collapse.