Death toll rises in Florida condo collapse

It’s been nearly two weeks since the building in Surfside, Fla., fell in the middle of the night, and more than 100 people are still missing. Search and rescue crews found eight more bodies on Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 36 after a planned demolition of the standing portion of the structure. They have already removed 124 tons of debris but have seen no signs of life, according to Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue chief Alan Cominsky. Lightning storms and strong winds from rain bands preceding Tropical Storm Elsa also delayed rescue operations.

What happens next? Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the condo association, an architect, and a building inspector, claiming their negligence led to the building’s collapse. On Friday, a judge appointed a special representative called a receiver to manage the condo association’s financial matters. The judge told the receiver to pay $10,000 in insurance money to each resident who needs housing assistance and $2,000 for funeral costs.

Dig deeper: Read WORLD’s ongoing coverage of the disaster.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its initial posting.