A number of Australians are believed missing after the collapse of a Florida residential tower.
Rescue crews are combing through rubble for anyone who may have survived the pre-dawn collapse of part of an oceanfront residential tower, with officials reporting at least four people found dead and 159 more missing.
As shock set in among the local community in the seaside enclave of Surfside on Friday local time, Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava said authorities would continue to search for those 159 people who are unaccounted for.
"We will continue search and rescue because we still have hope that we will find people alive," she told reporters.
An entire side of the 12-storey building gave way and fell to the ground around 1.30am on Thursday local time.
The building was home to a mix of people including families and part-time "snowbird" residents who spend the winter months in Florida.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it is aware that Australians may have been affected and is monitoring the situation.
SBS News understands DFAT is providing consular assistance to two Australians currently in Australia whose non-Australian relatives reside in the building.
"DFAT is aware of media reporting that Australians may have been involved in the collapse of the Champlain Tower South Condominium in Surfside, Florida," a spokesperson said on Friday afternoon.
"The Australian Embassy in Washington is closely monitoring developments and making urgent enquiries to determine if any Australians were affected."
Danny Rivero, a reporter from National Public Radio in South Florida, tweeted on Friday: "We've been told many Argentinians and Australians were in the building as well, and that all are unaccounted for. This is an international disaster."
A portion of the 12-storey Champlain Towers South condo building after it partially collapsed. Source: AAP
Another NPR reporter, Veronica Soledad Zaragovia, said she had interviewed a Surfside resident, Joseph Waks.
"(He) has friends from Australia who were staying in the collapsed building," she tweeted.
"Just saw him seven hours later at the Surfside Community Center. Asked if his friends from Australia appeared. They're still missing."
