97 dead as recovery effort at collapsed Florida condo nears end

The Surfside collapse has raised alarm and focused scrutiny on other older apartment buildings.

Efforts to recover human remains from the debris of a South Florida condo building are nearing an end as Miami-Dade police identify remaining victims of last month’s Surfside condo collapse. “The total number of confirmed deaths is now 97 – a staggering, heartbreaking loss of life,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said, according to the Reuters news agency. The updated tally, which includes the identification of 51-year-old Luis F Barth, raised the prospect that officials are close to a final count for confirmed dead.