British woman and family still missing as death toll mounts in Miami building collapse

THE death toll from the partial collapse of a Miami apartment building has climbed to five, with 156 still unaccounted for as rescue operations continue.

The 12-story oceanfront building in Surfside, near Miami Beach, collapsed on Thursday (24) night as residents slept inside.

"Today our search and rescue teams found another body in the rubble and as well our search has revealed some human remains," Miami-Dade County mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters on Saturday (26) evening.

The whereabouts of Bhavna Patel, a 38-year-old British, are unknown. She has been reported missing along with her husband, Vishal Patel, 42, and their one-year-old daughter, Aishani.

In a tweet a relative, Sarina Patel, confirmed her family members were yet to be found. Bhavna is pregnant, the tweet says.

Umma Kannayan, a family friend of the Patels, told the BBC that they were a "very loving" family who were closely involved in their religious community.

"Aishani was like the little baby of the temple," she said. "It feels like you've lost a part of yourself."

She said she was waiting with the Patel family's relatives for news, but that "not much information has been shared" about the victims.

Nicolette Brent, the UK's consul-general in Miami, visited the family reunification centre in Surfside on Thursday (24) night. She said her team was "ready to help any British nationals who may have been involved in this tragic incident".