Desperate search for the missing as more than 80 people dead in Texas floods
US President Donald Trump said he would "probably" visit the southern state on Friday. T
rump brushed off concerns his administration's wide-ranging cuts to weather forecasting and related federal agencies had left local warning systems worse off. Instead, he described the flash floods as a "100-year catastrophe" that "nobody expected."
At least 40 adults and 28 children were killed in the worst-hit Kerr County in central Texas, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday, while nearby areas showed at least 13 more people were killed by flooding.
"Across the state, in all the areas affected by flooding, there are 41 known missing," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Sunday.
As questions grew about why warnings did not come sooner or people were not evacuated earlier in the area popular with campers, Trump said the situation was a "Biden setup."
"That was not our setup," Trump told reporters on Sunday, adding that he would "not" hire back meteorologists when probed about staff and budget cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS).
Asked about whether he would change his plans to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he responded: "FEMA is something we can talk about later."
Trump, who previously said disaster relief should be handled at the state-level, also signed a major disaster declaration, activating FEMA and freeing up resources for Texas.
Around 17 helicopters joined the search in central Texas for missing people, including 10 girls and a counselor from a riverside Christian summer camp where about 750 people had been staying when disaster struck.
In a terrifying display of nature's power, the rain-swollen waters of the Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins in Camp Mystic as girls slept overnight Friday, washing away some of them and leaving a scene of devastation.
Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings at the camp were caked in mud.
Windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warned Sunday that slow-moving thunderstorms threatened more flash floods over the saturated ground of central Texas.
Governor Abbott warned that heavy rainfall could "lead to potential flash flooding" in Kerrville and surrounding areas, as officials cautioned people against going near the swollen river and its creeks.
The flooding began at the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend as months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours, much of it coming overnight as people slept.
The Guadalupe surged around 26 feet (eight meters) -- more than a two-story building -- in just 45 minutes.
Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual in this region of south and central Texas, known colloquially as "Flash Flood Alley." Human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense in recent years.
Officials said while rescue operations were ongoing, they were also starting the process of debris removal.
"There's debris all over the place that makes roads impassable, that makes reconstruction projects unachievable," Abbott said. People from elsewhere in the state converged on Kerr County to help look for the missing.
Texans also started flying personal drones to help look but local officials urged them to stop, citing a danger for rescue aircraft. One of the searches focused on four young women who were staying in a house that was washed away by the river.
Adam Durda and his wife Amber, both 45, drove three hours to help.
"There was a group of 20-year-olds that were in a house that had gotten washed away," Durda told AFP.
"That's who the family requested help for, but of course, we're looking for anybody." Justin Morales, 36, was part of a search team that found three bodies, including that of a Camp Mystic girl caught up in a tree.
"We're happy to give a family closure and hopefully we can keep looking and find some of the... you know, whoever," he told AFP. "Help give some of those families closure. That's why we're out here."
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11 hours ago
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US: Over 100 dead in Texas floods as rescue ops continue amid improving weather
Texas: More than 100 people have lost their lives due to catastrophic flooding across central Texas in the US, with state authorities continuing rescue operations as drier weather is forecast for the coming days, as reported by CNN on Tuesday. As per CNN, among the most heavily impacted areas is Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls summer camp located along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, with 27 confirmed deaths of campers and counsellors in the floods, while 10 campers and one counsellor remain unaccounted for. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha reported that a total of 75 people have died in the county--48 adults and 27 children. Many of the child victims were attending Camp Mystic at the time of the disaster. Search efforts are ongoing, with 24 individuals still missing across the state, CNN reported. In Travis County, which includes the capital city of Austin, seven fatalities have been reported and ten others are missing, CNN reported, citing local officials. In Williamson County, Sheriff Matthew Lindemann confirmed that two people have died in the area and stated that one of the victims was recovered on Sunday (local time). Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated today that over 20 state agencies are actively involved in the emergency response, working around the clock to locate survivors and assess the full extent of the damage. Meanwhile, officials from the National Weather Service expect that the severe weather pattern will ease by Monday night (local time), bringing a significant reduction in rainfall. While some scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible on Tuesday afternoon, they are not expected to pose a major flood threat, CNN reported. The drier conditions are forecast to continue through the end of the week, offering some relief to flood-stricken regions.
Observer
a day ago
- Observer
Desperate search for the missing as more than 80 people dead in Texas floods
Rescuers in Texas raced against time to find dozens of missing people, including children, swept away by flash floods that killed more than 80 people, with forecasters warning of new deluges. US President Donald Trump said he would "probably" visit the southern state on Friday. T rump brushed off concerns his administration's wide-ranging cuts to weather forecasting and related federal agencies had left local warning systems worse off. Instead, he described the flash floods as a "100-year catastrophe" that "nobody expected." At least 40 adults and 28 children were killed in the worst-hit Kerr County in central Texas, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday, while nearby areas showed at least 13 more people were killed by flooding. "Across the state, in all the areas affected by flooding, there are 41 known missing," Texas Governor Greg Abbott said Sunday. As questions grew about why warnings did not come sooner or people were not evacuated earlier in the area popular with campers, Trump said the situation was a "Biden setup." "That was not our setup," Trump told reporters on Sunday, adding that he would "not" hire back meteorologists when probed about staff and budget cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS). Asked about whether he would change his plans to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency, he responded: "FEMA is something we can talk about later." Trump, who previously said disaster relief should be handled at the state-level, also signed a major disaster declaration, activating FEMA and freeing up resources for Texas. Around 17 helicopters joined the search in central Texas for missing people, including 10 girls and a counselor from a riverside Christian summer camp where about 750 people had been staying when disaster struck. In a terrifying display of nature's power, the rain-swollen waters of the Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins in Camp Mystic as girls slept overnight Friday, washing away some of them and leaving a scene of devastation. Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings at the camp were caked in mud. Windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned Sunday that slow-moving thunderstorms threatened more flash floods over the saturated ground of central Texas. Governor Abbott warned that heavy rainfall could "lead to potential flash flooding" in Kerrville and surrounding areas, as officials cautioned people against going near the swollen river and its creeks. The flooding began at the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend as months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours, much of it coming overnight as people slept. The Guadalupe surged around 26 feet (eight meters) -- more than a two-story building -- in just 45 minutes. Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual in this region of south and central Texas, known colloquially as "Flash Flood Alley." Human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense in recent years. Officials said while rescue operations were ongoing, they were also starting the process of debris removal. "There's debris all over the place that makes roads impassable, that makes reconstruction projects unachievable," Abbott said. People from elsewhere in the state converged on Kerr County to help look for the missing. Texans also started flying personal drones to help look but local officials urged them to stop, citing a danger for rescue aircraft. One of the searches focused on four young women who were staying in a house that was washed away by the river. Adam Durda and his wife Amber, both 45, drove three hours to help. "There was a group of 20-year-olds that were in a house that had gotten washed away," Durda told AFP. "That's who the family requested help for, but of course, we're looking for anybody." Justin Morales, 36, was part of a search team that found three bodies, including that of a Camp Mystic girl caught up in a tree. "We're happy to give a family closure and hopefully we can keep looking and find some of the... you know, whoever," he told AFP. "Help give some of those families closure. That's why we're out here."
Observer
a day ago
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Children's camp confirms 27 dead, with Texas flood toll over 80
HUNT: Rescuers in the US state of Texas on Monday searched for bodies swept away by flash floods that killed more than 80 people, including 27 girls and counselors at a summer camp. The nation was shocked at the disaster over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, and forecasters warned that thunderstorms threatened more flooding over saturated ground. "Camp Mystic is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors following the catastrophic flooding," the camp said in a statement. "Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy." US President Donald Trump said he may visit Texas later this week, but brushed off concerns his cuts to weather forecasting and related federal agencies had weakened warning systems. Instead, he described the floods in the early hours of Friday as a "100-year catastrophe" that "nobody expected." At least 40 adults and 28 children were killed in the worst-hit Kerr County in central Texas, Sheriff Larry Leitha said on Sunday, while at least 13 more people were killed by flooding in nearby areas. The death toll is expected to rise. Trump, who previously said disaster relief should be handled at the state level, signed a major disaster declaration, activating fresh funds and freeing up resources. About 20 helicopters were taking part in the search for missing people in an area popular with campers that also hosted several summer camps for children. Camp Mystic, one of the worst-hit, was an all-girl Christian camp where about 750 people had been staying with the floodwaters struck. In a terrifying display of nature's power, the rain-swollen waters of the Guadalupe River reached treetops and the roofs of cabins as girls at the camp slept. Blankets, teddy bears and other belongings were caked in mud. Windows in the cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water. Texas Governor Greg Abbott warned that more heavy rainfall could bring further flooding in Kerrville and surrounding areas, as officials cautioned people against going near still-raging rivers. Months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours on Thursday night into Friday, and rain has continued in bouts since then. The Guadalupe surged around eight meters — more than a two-story building — in just 45 minutes. Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual in this region of south and central Texas, known colloquially as "Flash Flood Alley." Human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense in recent years. "There's debris all over the place that makes roads impassable, that makes reconstruction projects unachievable," Abbott said. People from elsewhere in the state converged on Kerr County to help look for the missing. Some residents also flew personal drones to help look, but officials urged them to stop, citing a danger to rescue aircraft. Texans also started flying personal drones to help look but local officials urged them to stop, citing a danger for rescue aircraft. One of the searches focused on four young women who were staying in a house that was washed away by the river. Adam Durda and his wife Amber, both 45, drove three hours to help. "There was a group of 20-year-olds that were in a house that had gotten washed away," Durda said. "That's who the family requested help for, but of course, we're looking for anybody." Justin Morales, 36, was part of a search team that found three bodies, including that of a Camp Mystic girl caught up in a tree. "We're happy to give a family closure and hopefully we can keep looking and find some of the... you know, whoever," he said. "Help give some of those families closure. That's why we're out here." — AFP
