The death toll from severe flooding in the US state of Texas has risen to 27. Rescue workers are still searching for many missing people, including campers. Further rain could pose a new threat.
According to authorities, at least 27 people have died in the flash floods in central Texas. Nine children were among the dead, according to the Kerr County Sheriff's Office.
The level of the Guadalupe River had risen by eight meters within 45 minutes the night before, said Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
Many Americans used the rural area in the southern United States to camp by rivers over the long weekend. The severe flooding that began Friday morning took many by surprise. Some bodies were found in cars that had been washed away.
Girls from holiday camp are missing
Among other things, a summer camp for girls was destroyed by the flash flood. According to Sheriff Larry L. Leitha, more than 20 participants have not yet been found. According to the report, more than 750 girls, many of them elementary school-aged, had spent a summer camp at the camp.
Rescue workers have been searching diligently for the numerous missing people for hours. Governor Greg Abbott pledged the support of"all available resources." Around 500 rescue workers and 14 helicopters are deployed, along with boats and drones. The Texas National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard are also involved.
More than 850 people rescued
"We won't stop until every single person is found. We have all the resources we need," Sheriff Larry Leitha said during a press conference. More than 850 people have been rescued so far, including eight injured. The total number of missing persons remains unclear.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick had previously emphasized that this didn't necessarily mean they were lost—they could have climbed trees for safety. The situation was confusing, with no electricity or internet.
Trump:"Terrible thing"
US President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "Melania and I are praying for all the families affected by this terrible tragedy."
Vice President JD Vance wrote on Platform X: "Our nation's heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Simply an unfathomable tragedy."
According to Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem will be on site soon. Noem herself posted on Platform X that she has ordered emergency services, including the U.S. Coast Guard, to assist.
Further tidal wave expected
Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, warned of another wave of flooding approaching. As of Saturday, the danger had not yet passed, as more heavy rains were expected. Flash flood and flood warnings were in effect for areas of Central Texas.
County Executive Rob Kelly had previously called the floods"extremely devastating and deadly." He further explained that while flash floods like these are common in the area, which is considered"the most dangerous river valley in the United States," the current flooding was unexpected.
"We have no warning system"
"We don't have a warning system," Kelly explained. When reporters asked why more precautions weren't taken, he replied,"Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming."
Officials admitted they hadn't expected such heavy rainfall. The area received as much rain in just a few hours as would normally fall in several months. The National Weather Service had only forecast between 80 and 150 liters of rain per square meter, said Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The actual amount of rain had not been announced.
Already in mid-June several deaths
It's tactless to say the flooding was expected, one resident told CNN."Anyone who says something like, 'This was predicted. Why didn't you watch the news?' That's callous." Residents in the area had to flee—some by boat, some by crossing downed power lines, because all other routes were flooded. Television images showed cars swept away, trees uprooted, and houses submerged.
In Texas, at least ten people were killed in a flash flood in San Antonio, southeast of Kerr, in mid-June.
