‘Profoundly grateful': Number of missing in deadly Texas floods drops from nearly 100 to 3; search operations to continue
The number of people initially reported missing in the hardest-hit area of the Texas floods has dropped sharply from nearly 100 to 3 as the majority have now been located and confirmed safe, reported officials on Saturday.
Three people are still missing in Kerr County and three more people are unaccounted for in Travis County and one more person has been listed as missing in Burnet County, as per the most recent update this week, reports ABC News.
"We are profoundly grateful to the more than 1,000 local, state, and federal authorities who have worked tirelessly in the wake of the devastating flood that struck our community," stated Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice.
"Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three."
"Through extensive follow-up work among state and local agencies, many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list," the city of Kerrville stated in a news release. "This has been an ongoing effort as investigators worked diligently to verify reports of missing persons and confirm their status."
Officials have confirmed that search operations will continue till missing persons are accounted for.
Kerr County bore the brunt of the devastation when the Guadalupe River rose 20 feet in just 90 minutes during the early hours of July 4th, claiming the lives of 27 children and counselors at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp situated along the riverbank.
Nearly 135 people lost their lives in the deadly flash floods with Kerr County alone accounting for approximately 107 fatalities, including 70 adults and 37 children, reports the New York Post.
The flooding far exceeded the severity of a 100-year event as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said. Striking swiftly in the middle of the night, it took many by surprise in a county that had no warning system in place.
US president Donald Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abott have defended local authorities amid growing scrutiny over their response over early warnings of heavy rainfall and initial reports of flash flooding, reports AP.
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