Page 2 - Condominium Tower Collapse News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

This. the collapse happened on american soil, but the impact of this tragedy extends far beyond u.s. borders. dozens of citizens from countries around latin america are missing, including venezuela, argentina, clom bee a, uruguay, paraguay and chile. among those still accounted for the sister of paraguay's first lady. the family went to miami to get vaccinated and brought along a baby-sitter, her family told cnn it was her first ever trip outside the country. we're hoping for a miracle, said her cousin, but we just don't know if we should cry now or not. also among the missing a chilean citize...

Building just collapse like that, whatever the local efforts are under way with that, the state will support whatever we can to do this right, but also to do it timely so that we get the answers to the families and that we get the answer to the people of florida. >> that report from our randi kaye. so it's been more than 48 hours since the collapse, but so many families are still clinging to hope that their loved ones will be found alive. so this man and his pregnant wife lived in the surfside condominium with her one-year-old daughter remain unaccounted for. chris cuomo spoke to his niece a...

>> reporter: families standing by trying to hold out hope that their loved ones will be found alive. >> how worried are they in there? is there a possibility that they are alive? truthfully, look at this mess. what are the chances? >> reporter: building resident kevin spiegel was out of town when the collapse happened, his wife was at home. >> i was just there this weekend, we had the most wonderful, wonderful weekend with our granddaughter scarlett. it was wonderful. and how from one second to the next second a dramatic change in life. it's unbelievable. >> reporter: so many families with que...

Portion, which is about over the measurement period of six years is about half an inch. >> reporter: he said that sinking didn't occur in other buildings right around that complex. he said the sinking alone likely would not have caused the building to collapse, but experts say it could be associated with tension and possible cracks inside the structure. local officials say there was roof work being done on the building. they're careful to say that may not be the cause of is this disaster, but experts say it could have been a contributing factor. >> potentially working on the roof, potentially ...

Integrity of the high-rise. >> reporter: structural engineers and other experts now scrambling to find answers as to how this collapse could have occurred in an area with some of the strictest building codes in the world. >> it's very unusual to see a building collapse in this way. it reminds me of a building in countries where they had earthquakes and the construction is not in a good condition. >> reporter: the professor of florida international university released a study last year which said that 40-year-old building the champlain towers south had been sinking or subsiding as he calls it a...