WASHINGTON, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Hurricane Elsa strengthened significantly on Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center, raising concerns that it may affect the site of the condo collapse in Surfside in U.S. state of Florida by next week.

The National Hurricane Center said in an 8:30 a.m. update that Elsa's sustained winds were whipping at 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour), making it a Category 1 hurricane.

It was moving west-northwest at a speed of 28 miles per hour (44 km per hour), about 40 miles (65 km) west of the Caribbean island country of Barbados. Hurricane warnings are in effect for Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

"A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case in the next few hours," the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

The center said Elsa is not expected to strengthen in the next 48 hours.

Elsa is not expected to immediately impact search and rescue efforts at the site of the condo collapse in Surfside, Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis said Thursday.

"We are not expecting any impacts through Saturday," he said. "But obviously, our meteorological team is actively monitoring the storm and will continue to provide any updates," he said, adding that the state Department of Emergency Management is drafting contingency plans in preparation for storm effects.

State officials expect Elsa to turn northwest near South Florida by Monday, DeSantis said.

CNN on Friday quoted Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava as saying that there are now 20 deaths confirmed from the Surfside collapse, as well as 188 people accounted for and 128 unaccounted for. Enditem

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