Miami condo collapse: Residents complained of construction noise, reports say

Residents of the Florida condo complex that collapsed Thursday had previously complained of construction noise that may have resulted from heavy work done to try and ensure the building was ready for its 40-year inspection, according to reports.

The Champlain Towers South condo complex was built in 1981 and faced a mandatory inspection this year. A Miami-area architect argued that the method used to construct the towers is "the most structurally sound and safest way to build structures" in the area. 

"Even a building built in the 1980s is a relatively young building," Kobi Karp told The Daily Beast. "The cause is either a structural event that occurred because they were working on the roof and put too much load concentrated in a certain area, and/or there was somebody working on the structure and created a cut or damage that caused a structural failure."

"In both scenarios, it seems to be a man-made cause,"he added.

Full article:

https://www.foxnews.com/us/miami-condo-collapse-residents-construction-noise

‘It Really Shook’: 2.6 Magnitude Earthquake Reported In Maryland, Epicenter Near Woodlawn

WOODLAWN, Md. (WJZ) — A 2.6 magnitude earthquake was reported in Maryland Friday afternoon, according to the US Geological Survey.

The epicenter was one kilometer southeast of Woodlawn, Maryland.

USGS officials updated their website Friday afternoon to show that the earthquake occurred at 3:40 p.m. at 39.316°N 76.721°W.

It was at a depth of 2.5 kilometers.

Governor Larry Hogan said that the Maryland Emergency Management Agency is coordinating with both Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and that no major injuries or explosions have been reported.

Woodlawn resident Ruth Good was walking home when she felt the tremor. She thought it was an explosion.

“I could feel it, the way it happened so suddenly I thought it was an explosion,” said Good. “And then as I started talking to people they said ‘no, that was a tremor, it was like an earthquake.'”

“I had the TV on while I was folding clothes, and then I just felt I rumble,” said resident Linda Reich. “The air conditioner had come on, but it wasn’t that. It was the house kind of shook for maybe three or four seconds, and it really shook.

Tremors were felt in parts of Baltimore — including West Baltimore, Patterson Park, TV Hill and Woodberry — and also Baltimore County where it was centered.

Dozens of callers reported feeling the tremor that only lasted a few seconds.

Richard Ortt, Director of the Maryland Geological Survey, spoke to WJZ about what residents can expect following the earthquake.

“We really don’t expect any kind of damage,” Ortt said. “Citizens that are reporting the earthquake say there was very light shaking and nothing more than that.”

It is possible that there could be aftershocks over the next 24 hours, but Ortt said they will not be at a higher magnitude.

“There is possibility of aftershocks, however we would anticipate them to be smaller than the [quake] that happened this afternoon,” Ortt said.

https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021/06/25/maryland-earthquake-reported-near-woodlawn-tremors-felt-for-miles/