SURFSIDE, Fla. — Authorities managing the search under the rubble of the partially collapsed building in Surfside are worried that Hurricane Elsa could bring down the portion of Champlain Towers South Condo that remains standing.
Ray Jadallah, assistant Miami-Dade fire chief, said at a private briefing Friday morning that while the storm's track remains a distant threat, preparations for increased wind and rain could begin forcing minor changes in the rescue area by the afternoon.
He emphasized that only support equipment not directly directly to the search would be temporarily removed, and that search crews would remain on the job until the last possible moment.
"Even if the hurricane is coming, we're going to continue working until the safety of the personnel is in question," Jadallah said in a morning briefing of families of the missing, according to a video stream posted on social media. "The last thing to move is our personnel."
Crews have been searching through the rubble of the 12-story building since last week for possible survivors.
Elsa is forecast to weaken back into a tropical storm by the time it nears South Florida on Monday or Tuesday, although forecasters warn that there's still a lot of uncertainty on its track and potential impact.
For now, Elsa is a distant threat to Surfside, with only a 15% chance of the Miami area getting tropical-force winds by Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
But the nasty weather that come with proximity to a tropical system can be a serious threat in Surfside, where summer rains have already complicated efforts.
The remaining structure of the tower has gotten water-logged from daily downpours, adding to the instability of the structures. Fears of it falling forced authorities to temporarily halt rescue efforts overnight Thursday — a 15-hour period that was their first pause since the June 24 partial collapse.
Jadallah told family members that strong winds could topple the building entirely.
"There is a chance," he said of a potential storm. "It depends on how strong the wind is, how sustained the wind is."
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(Miami Herald staff writer Michelle Marchante contributed to this report.)
