Rescuers on Saturday combed devastated riverbanks and overturned debris in search of those still missing after flash floods swept through Texas the day prior, killing at least 51 people – including 15 children.
A day and a half after the floods, authorities have still not said how many people are missing beyond 27 children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp. Most of the dead were found nearby.
The Guadalupe river surged more than eight metres in just 45 minutes on Friday, destroying homes, camps and vehicles. The disaster unfolded as heavy rains continued across Texas into the weekend, prompting more flash floods warnings.
Search and rescue operations intensified Saturday, with helicopters, boats and drones deployed to retrieve stranded residents and locate the missing.
“We will find every one of them,” Governor Greg Abbott said.
Kerr County sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed 32 fatalities in the Hill Country region: 18 adults and 14 children. Additional deaths were reported in Travis County and Burnet County.
Authorities have come under scrutiny over whether proper warnings were issued to camps and residents in an area long known for severe flash flooding.
Officials defended their actions while saying they had not expected such an intense downpour that was the equivalent of months’ worth of rain for the area.
The hills along the Guadalupe River in central Texas are dotted with youth camps and campgrounds. The area is especially popular around the July Fourth holiday, making it more difficult to know how many are missing.
“We don’t even want to begin to estimate at this time,” said Dalton Rice, the city manager.
Private forecaster AccuWeather said that it and the National Weather Service had sent warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation.
Rescue efforts are expected to continue through the weekend as authorities work to account for the missing and assess the full extent of the damage.
