Florida search paused over concerns about rest of building collapsing

The search for survivors amid the Surfside, Fla., building collapse has come to a halt over concerns the rest of the building could fall down.

The pause happened early Thursday morning as the search and rescue team was warned the rest of the building could collapse, the Miami Herald reported.

“As many of you have already seen, we were forced to halt operations,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava (D) said Thursday, according to The New York Times.

Teams have been on site 24 hours a day since part of the condominium fell last Thursday looking for survivors.

It is not clear when search and rescue efforts will continue as hope to find new survivors diminishes.

There are more than 145 people still missing and 18 people confirmed dead from the collapse.

Along with the concerns about a potential further collapse stopping rescue efforts, the efforts could be further impeded by a tropical storm that is set to hit South Florida later in the week, according to the local outlet. 

The pause in rescue efforts comes hours before President Biden is set to meet with the families of those who have died and families of those who are still missing. 

“We are very grateful that the president is coming. He has been showing support for this community since the beginning and we assure you that we have plans in place with the Secret Service and our federal partners that this operation will continue,” Miami-Dade Police Department Director Alfredo Ramirez III.