Miami Dade Fire Department Chief Alan Cominsky presents a medal to Golan Vach, Commander of Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) National Rescue Unit during a send off ceremony on July 10 in Surfside, Florida. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
The death toll from the June 24 collapse of the Surfside, Fla., condominium has climbed to 94, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a briefing Monday morning.
The big picture: The search and rescue mission transitioned to a recovery mission last Wednesday. Of the victims, at least 83 have been identified and 80 next-of-kin notifications have been made, Levine Cava said.
- 22 people remain potentially unaccounted for, the mayor said on Monday.
- "It's also important to note that we can only truly account for a missing person who is deceased once an identification is made," she explained in a Saturday press conference.
- Levine Cava called the recovery efforts the "largest ever non-hurricane emergency response effort" in Florida history.
- Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said Monday security will be tighter around the collapse site, and authorized personnel will be the only people allowed.
The latest: Members of the Israeli Urban Search and Rescue Task Force received a ceremonial key to the county on Saturday evening to thank them for all of their help. Meanwhile, Fire Chief Alan Cominsky made them official members of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
- “In recognition of your unrelenting dedication, compassionate service commitment to the victims and survivors of the Surfside tragedy,” Levine Cava said.
- Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on Friday that indefinitely suspends property taxes for all residents whose homes were destroyed or became uninhabitable as a result of the collapse.
- Meanwhile, the National Institute of Standards and Technology has sent more scientists to the scene to search for clues that led to the structural failure.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information throughout.