Florida Building Collapse: First Funerals Held for Victims; Death Toll Rises to 36 as Tropical Storm Elsa Hampers Search Efforts

The first funerals for victims of the Florida building collapse were held 12 days after the tragic incident.

BBC reported that the Guara family, namely Marcus, 52; Ana, 42; and their daughters, Lucia, 10; and Emma, four; were among the victims discovered at the site of the Florida condominium collapse.

The funerals happened on Tuesday, July 6, just a few blocks away from St. Joseph Catholic church, where the family had worshipped.

At least three coffins were brought to the church at the funeral, as the victims' family decided to put the sisters together in one coffin.

The Guara family was reported to live on the eighth floor of the Surfside condo that collapsed. Marcus Guara was found by the rescuers two days after the incident, while Ana Guara and their children were found four days later.

Lucia and Emma Guara were known as the youngest identified victims of the tragic incident.

"As ironic as it may sound, I truly believe that God watched over them by not making them suffer without Lucia and Emma," said Peter Milián, Marcus Guara's cousin, as he spoke in the church.

Florida Building Collapse: Death Toll Rises to 36 as Elsa Makes Search and Rescue Challenging

The number of casualties in the Florida building collapse continued to rise. On Tuesday afternoon, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced that the death toll rose to 36, the USA Today reported.

Earlier in the day, Levine Cava only accounted for at least 32 deaths, but that changed when four more victims were found in the debris of the collapsed condo.

Levine Cava noted that 109 individuals remained unaccounted for, but only 70 were confirmed by the authorities to be in the Champlain Towers South building when it collapsed on June 24.

The rescue efforts were already hampered by the nearing of tropical storm Elsa in the state. Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief, Raide Jadallah, confirmed that there was a two-hour delay on search and rescue operations on early Tuesday due to lightning.

"Truly they live to save lives, and they've pushed ahead no matter what is thrown in their way," said Levine Cava, as she praised the workers, who were continuing their duties despite the rain and shifting debris.

USA Today reported that stiff winds were blowing at the site of the Florida building collapse, which impeded the efforts of large cranes that move out debris.

Tropical Storm Elsa Intensifies as it Traverses Florida Coast

As of 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Elsa continues to wreak havoc as it was declared a Category 1 hurricane.

The Washington Post reported that heavy rains deluged the Florida Keys and the southwest portion of the Sunshine State. Elsa was also reported to ride up the entire East Coast of the U.S.

A hurricane warning was issued Tuesday for the zone from Tampa Bay north to the south side of Florida's Big bend coastal area to the west of Gainesville.

NBC News, citing National Hurricane Center, noted that Elsa has maximum sustained winds of 70 mph with higher gusts.

In the zone with a hurricane warning, wind gusts could top 75 mph that may cause power outages, downed trees, and minor structural damage.

Apart from hampering the rescue efforts, nearly 2,000 power outage reports were made as of 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Elsa is expected to make landfall on Wednesday morning, July 7, north of Tampa Bay, with a peak wind of about 75 mph.

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Written by: Joshua Summers

WATCH: Rescue Teams Continue Search After Demolition of Surfside Condo Before Storm Elsa Hits Florida - From The Sun