Death toll after Miami building collapse rises to 97

(CNN) – Rescuers have recovered 97 bodies from the rubble of a building collapse in Surfside, Florida; and although they have come a long way, there is still much more to do.

The remains of Champlain Towers South, once too risky for heavy machinery while the rest of the structure loomed over rescuers, are now almost at ground level as bulldozers remove piles of debris.

According to Miami-Dade County, more than 22 million pounds of concrete and debris have been removed.

Although there is no longer any hope of finding survivors in the rubble, crews have been working almost non-stop since the June 24 collapse, albeit with intermittent problems related to dangerous conditions caused by the weather and debris.

Authorities promised the families of the victims that they will work diligently until all their loved ones are recovered, a task that is becoming increasingly urgent.

“The identification process has become more difficult as time has passed,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “We must rely heavily on the work of the coroner’s office … to identify human remains. The process is very methodical and careful and takes time,” he said.

In the search, 240 people from the building have been counted as alive, 97 victims have been recovered, 90 of whom have been identified, and 88 relatives have been notified, said a statement from Miami-Dade County. Eight people are still missing and all have open missing person reports with the Miami-Dade Police Department.