More than 80 people were killed by flash floods in the state of Texas on Monday, including 27 girls and counselors at a summer camp, according to rescuers in the state.
Over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, the nation was shocked by the disaster, and forecasters warned of additional flooding from thunderstorms over saturated ground.
Following the devastating flooding, Camp Mystic said in a statement that it was grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors.
Our families are enduring this unfathomable tragedy, and we are also in our hearts.
Donald Trump, the president of the US, hinted that he might travel to Texas later this week, but he dodged concerns that his reductions in weather forecasting and related federal agencies had weakened warning systems.
Instead, he characterized the floods as a “100-year catastrophe” that “nobody anticipated.”
Sheriff Larry Leitha reported on Sunday that at least 40 adults and 28 children had died in Kerr County, central Texas, while at least 13 more had been killed by flooding in nearby towns. The death toll is anticipated to rise.
Grim Search
Trump signed a significant disaster declaration, releasing additional funds, and allowing more resources than previously believed that state-level disaster relief should be handled.
In a region known for its campfires, which also housed a number of summer camps for children, about 20 helicopters were reportedly searching for missing people.
When the floodwaters started pouring, Camp Mystic, one of the worst-hit, contained 750 female campmates staying.
As camp girls slept, the rain-swollen Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins in a terrifying display of nature’s power.
Mud was encrusted onto blankets, Teddy bears, and other items. The cabin windows were reportedly shattered by the force of the water.
As a result of officials’ advice to people not to cross still-robbing rivers, Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that more heavy rain could cause further flooding in Kerrville and the surrounding areas.
On Thursday night into Friday, rain fell in a matter of hours, and it has continued indefinitely.
In 45 minutes, the Guadalupe soared to 26 feet (28 meters), more than a two-story structure.
This area of south and central Texas, known as “Flash Flood Alley,” is not unusual for flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rain.
In recent years, extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and heat waves have become more frequent and intense due to human-driven climate change.
According to Abbott, “there is debris everywhere that makes reconstruction projects impossible and roads impassable.”
Kerr County’s residents gathered from other parts of the state to assist in the search for the missing.
Some residents used personal drones to look, but officials urged them to stop because there was a risk in the rescue plane.
Source: Channels TV
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