Miami building collapse

Cause of Miami Condo Collapse Unclear, But Experts Say Barrier Islands Present Risks

Scientists have long noted the risk of building on the shifting sands of a barrier island like Miami Beach

NBCUniversal Media, LLC Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed Thursday afternoon that 102 people had been accounted for after part of a 12-story condominium building collapsed around 2 a.m. Thursday. Late Thursday, officials were still trying to locate at least 99 people who were unaccounted for.

There are more questions than answers after a 12-story building collapsed in Surfside, Florida, on Thursday.

Local officials appeared to have few ideas about what may have caused wings of the 136-unit building to inexplicably crumble.

Scientists, however, have long noted the risk of building on the shifting sands of a barrier island like Miami Beach, especially with rising sea levels. That may not be the reason for this collapse, but it remains an engineering challenge in the region.

For more on this story, go to NBC News.

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