Over 160 people are still believed to be missing in Texas following deadly flash floods which killed more than 100 people during the weekend, the state’s governor said on Tuesday.
The number tripled after local officials set up a hotline that families could call to report people believed to be missing.
Many of those missing were likely staying in Texas’ Hill Country without officially registering at a camp or hotel, according to state governor Greg Abbot. He said most were reported missing in Kerr County, where most of the victims have been recovered so far.
Texas inspectors reportedly signed off on the emergency planning of Camp Mystic just two days before the deadly flooding. Two dozen people were killed at the all-girls Christian summer camp, most of them children.
The camp did not evacuate and was hit especially hard after the nearby Guadalupe river rose to 9 metres within 60 minutes in the early morning hours. A wall of water overwhelmed people in camps and tents. Some survivors were found clinging to trees.
At least 27 campers and counsellors at the camp died during the flood. Officials say that five campers and one counsellor have still not been found.
Search-and-rescue teams in the area are using heavy equipment to untangle and peel away layers of trees, unearth large rocks in riverbanks and move massive piles of debris in the search for the missing people.
Crews in airboats, helicopters and hundreds of volunteers are involved in one of Texas’ history biggest ever search-and-rescue missions.
How officials responded
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, stating that they had not expected such an intense downpour, which was the equivalent to months’ worth of rain for the area.
The Republican governor Abbot, who took a helicopter tour of the disaster zone, dismissed a question about who was to blame for the deaths, saying “That’s the word choice of losers.”
“Every football team makes mistakes,” he said. “The losing teams are the ones that try to point out who’s to blame. The championship teams are the ones who say, ’Don’t worry about it, man, we got this. We’re going to make sure that we go score again and we’re going to win this game.' The way winners talk is not to point fingers.”
US President Donald Trump reportedly plans to visit Texas on Friday. According to Abbot, Trump has pledged to provide whatever relief Texas needs to recover.
What happened?
The Guadalupe river surged more than eight metres in just 45 minutes last Friday, destroying homes, camps and vehicles. The disaster unfolded as heavy rains continued across Texas into the weekend, prompting more flash flood warnings.
The hills along the Guadalupe in central Texas are dotted with youth camps and campgrounds. The area is especially popular around the 4 July holiday, making it more challenging to determine how many are missing.
Forecast service AccuWeather, along with the National Weather Service, had issued warnings about potential flash flooding hours before the devastation.
For years, scientists have been sounding the alarm that climate change is intensifying extreme weather events – including flash floods – around the world.
Studies continue to show that warmer oceans and a wetter atmosphere are fuelling stronger and more frequent storms everywhere from Europe to the US.
