Flash floods in Central Texas have taken a devastating toll, with at least 50 people confirmed dead and over two dozen still missing, mostly from Camp Mystic, a summer camp in Kerr County, CNN reported late Saturday.
Camp Mystic Tragedy: Children Among the Dead and Missing
According to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, 28 adults and 15 children are among the deceased. “Twelve of the adults and five children are unidentified,” CNN quoted Leitha as saying.
Dalton Rice, city manager of Kerrville, reported 27 campers missing, adding, “We’re really focused on life safety. Our primary focus is on search and rescue… we’ll continue through the night to make sure that happens.”
Floodwaters Rise at Unprecedented Levels
They were taken aback by the Guadalupe River’s sudden flooding, which saw it reach its second-highest level on record. “It was maybe seven feet or something on the south fork, and in a matter of minutes it was at 29 feet,” Rice reportedly said.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the river rose 26 feet in 45 minutes and that there had been no reported rain until the flood arrived early Friday morning, according to a report published by CBS News.
Travis, Burnet and Tom Green Counties Also Affected
Four fatalities were confirmed in Travis County. Judge Andy Brown made a plea for people to “avoid flooded roads, tune in to official notices, & don’t try to go back to flooded areas.”
Meanwhile, two fatalities were reported from Burnet County even as six people went missing in the area. In Tom Green County, a woman was killed when her car was washed away.
Rescue Operations Underway
Search and rescue teams have pulled over 850 people to safety, including 160 air rescues, with many clinging to trees as floodwaters surged.
“We’ve been rescuing people out of these camps by the hundreds,” Rice said. Gov. Greg Abbott has signed an expanded disaster declaration, asserting “We will stop at nothing.”
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, whose own property was lost, lamented, “We didn’t know. We knew we’d get rain… but nobody saw this coming.”
President Donald Trump referred to the flooding as a “terrible thing,” and said, “Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!
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