On Friday, the death toll from the collapse of a Miami-area condominium tower grew to 79 after workers recovered 14 more remains from the ruins and said that the mound of debris had been lowered to nearly ground level.

According to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, 61 persons remain missing and are presumed dead amid the concrete and steel rubble of the 12-story seaside skyscraper in Surfside.

The number of people missing could fluctuate, as it's conceivable that not everyone was in the building when it collapsed in the early morning hours of June 24. The reason for the disaster has yet to be determined.

Crews have reduced the size of the rubble pile from four or five stories to practically ground level, with some below ground level, after working nonstop for 16 days.

Since teams removed a still-standing piece of the building over the weekend, giving better access within the remains and more use of heavy equipment, the rate at which crews have discovered the dead has accelerated.

Binx, a cat who had been living on the ninth story of the building before it caved in, was discovered alive in the vicinity, according to Levine Cava, who called the discovery "a small bit of good news." after more than two weeks.

Members of the beleaguered community are already debating what to do with the site where the Champlain Towers South previously stood, with attorneys representing some of the victims' families recommending it be turned into a memorial to the victims.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the Champlain Towers South to collapse unexpectedly. A 2018 engineering report that warned of structural flaws has gotten a lot of attention.

Residents of Crestview Towers, an adjacent condominium, were urged to evacuate after experts discovered major concrete and electrical problems following the collapse. They have been barred from returning while local officials assess if the structure can be stabilized.