In Texas, the death toll from the catastrophic flood has reached at least 82, with dozens still missing. A new wave of rain is expected to raise water levels in Kerr County, where the "Mystic" girls' camp is located, and officials are warning of potential consequences, writes UNN with reference to CNN.
Details
At least 82 people have died in the flood that swept through central Texas over the weekend. Among the victims are at least 28 children in Kerr County, where 10 girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic are still missing. The death toll is rising as local emergency services across the state conduct search, rescue, and recovery operations.
Waterways in some of the most devastated areas of central Texas are beginning to refill due to increased rainfall in the area. Governor Greg Abbott stated that Sunday's flash flood could still pose a danger to some regions of Texas over the next few days, as "even heavier rains" are expected.
Rescue teams continue to search for 10 campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic, a summer camp for girls near the Guadalupe River. Rescuers are conducting searches on land and in the air, and the Texas National Guard is using remote-controlled military drones typically used by the military for surveillance.
Records indicate that Kerr County officials had previously considered installing flood warning sirens, but the plan was never implemented. Although the National Weather Service issued a series of warnings before the storm, questions have arisen regarding staffing and its ability to communicate with residents during the disaster.
Who is involved in the rescue operation
Hundreds of local and state rescuers are participating in search and rescue operations in Kerr County, one of the most affected areas, where dozens of adults and children have died or gone missing due to the flash flood.
According to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office, more than 400 people from approximately 20 agencies are involved in the operation. This includes over a dozen K9 units working around the Guadalupe River, whose level rose by more than six meters in less than two hours during the peak of the flood in early July Fourth.
According to the sheriff's office, more than 100 air, water, and ground vehicles have also been deployed to assist in the rescue operations.
The Texas National Guard and Air National Guard have deployed Black Hawk helicopters to assist in search and rescue operations. Their rescue operations "have resulted in the successful rescue of 520 people," the Texas military reported. In total, 361 aerial evacuations were conducted with Black Hawks and 159 ground rescues.
Addition
The US National Weather Service declared an emergency for certain areas of Kerr County after intense rainfall raised water levels to 30 cm.
City official Dalton Rice told reporters that the extreme flood occurred before dawn, with almost no warning, making evacuation measures impossible.
"It happened very quickly, in a very short period of time, which could not be predicted even with radar. Everything happened in less than two hours," Rice said.