Tropical Storm Elsa gaining strength, lashing Florida Keys

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (AP) — The weather was getting worse in southern Florida on Tuesday morning as Tropical Storm Elsa began lashing the Florida Keys, complicating the search for survivors in the condo collapse and prompting a hurricane watch for the peninsula's upper Gulf Coast.

In addition to damaging winds and heavy rains, the Miami-based US National Hurricane Center warned of life-threatening storm surges, flooding and isolated tornadoes.

A hurricane watch was issued for a long stretch of coastline, from Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay to the Steinhatchee River in Florida's Big Bend area.

Bands of rain were expected to reach Surfside on Florida's Atlantic coast, soaking the rubble of the Champlain Towers South, which collapsed June 24, killing at least 32 people.

Search and rescue crews have worked through rain in search of more than 100 others listed as missing but must pause when lightning threatens, and a garage area in the pancaked debris already filled with water Monday, officials said.

Elsa's maximum sustained winds stood at 60 miles per hour early Tuesday.

A slow strengthening is forecast through Tuesday night and Elsa could be near hurricane strength before it makes landfall in Florida.

Its core was about 65 miles west-northwest of Key West, Florida, and 215 miles south of Tampa.

It was continuing to move to the north-northwest at 10 miles per hour.

The forecast included the possibility of tornadoes across South Florida on Tuesday morning and across the upper peninsula later in the day.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.