Florida braces for Tropical Storm Elsa | As the search for victims of the Champlain towers collapse in Miami continues

Florida was preparing this Tuesday to receive the tropical storm Elsa, which is advancing towards the Gulf of Mexico with a forecast of strong winds and torrential rains, which threatens the continuity of research work at the Champlain Towers building South of Miami, whose collapse on June 24 has already left 32 dead and 113 missing.

After killing two in the Dominican Republic and one in Saint Lucia, Elsa struck Cuba on Monday, with heavy rains but without causing significant damage, authorities said.

This Tuesday, at 11 a.m., Elsa was 105 km from Les Clefs, a chain of islands off the southern tip of Florida, and heads to the west coast of the state, where is expected to make landfall near Tampa on Wednesdayaccording to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“Strong gusts of wind, heavy rain, and a few tornadoes are possible throughout South FloridaThe local weather service posted on Twitter. In areas of the west coast of the state, meanwhile, water could rise up to 1.5 meters due to winds of over 110 km / h, a force close to hurricane category.

Due to the alert, Tampa Airport announced the suspension of commercial flights from 5 p.m. Tuesday to 10 a.m. Wednesday.

“We ask Floridians to start their preparations. This includes the possibility of being Without electricity for several days. Have enough food and water for every member of your family, including petsFlorida Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez warned at a press conference.

“If there are evacuation orders in your area, it is for your own safety, the counties will open emergency shelters,” he added.

Landslide in Miami

Elsa’s move to Florida comes less than two weeks after Surfside tragedy, a city about 12 miles from downtown Miami, where a 12-story residential building partially collapsed in the early morning hours of June 24 for causes that are still under investigation.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters on Tuesday that the death toll rose to 32 when four more bodies were found in the rubble. As reported, 26 of the deceased have been identified, including a Chilean, Uruguayan, Venezuelan and Uruguayan-Venezuelan.

Of the 113 people who are still missing, the official said, it was confirmed that there were 70 who were inside the building at the time of the collapse.

The demolition of the part of the building still standing, carried out in a controlled manner this Sunday evening, rescue teams were able to expand their operationsMiami-Dade Fire Chief Alan Cominsky explained.

In the search for the remains of the residential block, from which some 2,500 tons of rubble were removed, 240 members of rescue teams from the United States, Israel and Mexico are participating.

Work at the site was only interrupted by lightning overnight, but could be threatened by Elsa’s arrival. “We are expecting strong gusts and showers today and we are closely monitoring the weather,” the mayor said, stressing the “Extremely unfavorable and difficult conditions” in which the rescuers worked.

Meanwhile, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said engineers were conducting a “Complete structural overhaul” of other high-rise buildings in the city, including Champlain Towers North, a ‘sister’ condo tower it collapsed into as authorities were ‘deeply concerned about this building’.