Texas: Over 100 Dead and Dozens Missing in Devastating Floods

SadaNews - The death toll from the catastrophic floods that swept through the U.S. state of Texas has risen to at least 104, while intensive search operations continue for dozens of missing persons, including many children who were at summer camps at the time of the disaster during the Fourth of July holiday.

 

Local authorities reported that Kerr County in the "Texas Hill Country", where the Guadalupe River flows, was the hardest hit, recording 84 deaths, including 28 children. They also reported the disappearance of 27 campers and supervisors from the "Mystic" Christian girls' camp, with 11 of them still missing.

Emergency agencies confirmed that heavy rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise by about 8 meters within just 45 minutes, resulting in flash floods that swept through the camps at night, destroying cabins, uprooting trees, and carrying away vehicles while children were sleeping.

The National Weather Service warned of the possibility of renewed flooding as rain continued to fall on already saturated ground, complicating rescue operations involving more than 1,750 emergency teams, using helicopters, boats, medics, and search dogs.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump described the disaster as "unprecedented in a century," declaring a major disaster to activate federal aid.

In contrast, White House spokesperson Caroline Leavitt rejected claims that the administration's cuts had affected the performance of weather agencies, emphasizing that the National Weather Service issued timely and precise warnings.

Despite this, many residents expressed their anger over the weak warning systems, and families of the victims demanded the establishment of a modern alert network to protect areas prone to recurring floods.

Meanwhile, hundreds of local volunteers participated in the search and rescue efforts despite warnings from authorities about the risks. One volunteer said, "I can't sit at home. We're doing what we can. That's Texas for you."

Nineteen local and government agencies are participating in the search operations covering about 100 kilometers along the Guadalupe River, using a precise grid to divide the area into sectors, each of which takes between one to three hours to search.

As hopes of finding survivors dwindle, scenes of grief, prayer, and protests continue in the affected areas, with authorities indicating that there are more than 40 additional unconfirmed deaths in other counties in South-Central Texas.