The flash flood came as a complete surprise to many people along the Guadalupe River: Nearly 70 bodies have been recovered so far. Among them are numerous girls who had been attending a summer camp. Several people are still missing.
The death toll from the severe flash floods in the US state of Texas has risen to nearly 70. More bodies have been found, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha. Eleven people who had camped on the banks of the Guadalupe River are still missing. Among the dead are numerous girls who had attended a Christian summer camp called"Camp Mystic."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott had already taken a look at the devastated summer camp on Saturday. He wrote on Platform X that he was shocked. The facility had been destroyed in a way"unlike any natural disaster I've ever seen." Water was rising up to the roof of the cabins."We will not stop until we find all the girls who were in those cabins." He declared Sunday a day of prayer in the state.
Many wanted to use the long weekend
Local television showed black-and-white photos of victims, and more and more stories are becoming known. There were young children, teenagers, and parents who did not survive the floods that swept through the area on Friday morning. Many wanted to use the long weekend, which coincided with the national Fourth of July holiday, to go to summer camp or camp on the riverbank.
A ten-year-old girl was lucky, as her mother told the New York Times: Her hut was high enough, so she could wait there for rescue. Another participant had to run through rushing water to a gallery in the middle of the night. There she spent a sleepless night while the water rose below her. She was rescued by helicopter the next day.
Some people saved themselves by climbing trees
According to authorities, more than 850 people were rescued unharmed. Eight people were injured. Some people had sought refuge in trees to avoid being swept away by the floods.
The situation in the area remains unclear. On Saturday, there was no electricity or internet in parts of the area. Television images showed cars being swept away, trees uprooted, and houses flooded. In some cases, bodies were found in cars that had been washed away.
US President Donald Trump pushed for further federal aid for the area with a disaster declaration. More than 400 rescue workers are deployed in the main area of Kerr County. A dozen dogs are also being deployed in the search. Searches for the missing people are underway in the air, on the water, and on the ground. At the same time, authorities warn against flying private drones to search for missing people, saying this would hinder the work of the rescuers.
More extreme rainfall due to climate change
The severe flooding since Friday morning took many people by surprise. According to authorities, it's not uncommon for rivers to overflow their banks in the area. However, the magnitude is unusual.
The Guadalupe River is the confluence of two headwaters, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice explained at a press conference. The water masses then converged in the Guadalupe River outside Kerrville, causing the rapid rise in water levels.
Extreme rainfall has increased in Texas in recent decades due to climate change, Kristina Dahl, vice president of science at the US non-profit organization Climate Central, told CNN.
