At least 121 people are dead and 173 are missing in central Texas after the Guadalupe River swelled last Friday, causing destructive flash flooding throughout Kerr County.
Now, new before-and-after satellite images of several sites throughout Kerry County show the devastation caused by the floods as crews embark on a seventh day of search and rescue efforts. Crews are searching mounds of debris along an eight-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River, often finding cars and RVs buried in the wreckage.
Search and rescue efforts are expected to continue for several weeks, said Fredericksburg Fire Chief Lynn Bizzell.
Twenty-seven of those killed were children and staff attending Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp situated on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Five girls and one staffer are still missing as of Friday morning.
Several of the cabins were built on “extremely hazardous” floodways where the river’s water moves at its highest velocity and depth, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Two days before the deadly floods, the camp reportedly passed its annual state safety inspection and had a written disaster plan in place.
While crews wade through debris and navigate difficult terrain, many are assisting the efforts in innovative ways.
Kourtney Rand, a volunteer in Ingram, Texas, told CNN the local volunteer fire department is using horses to navigate waterlogged areas. NASA has deployed two aircraft to help map the damage from the floods, while the Texas National Guard is helping the search via land and air.
One man from Colorado has even traveled to Texas to help with the efforts, telling local outlet Fox 26 he was inspired to assist in any way he could after seeing photos of the devastation.
Questions are swirling over whether state and local officials could have done more to warn residents about the impending floods early Friday.
A local firefighter was revealed to have petitioned for an emergency alert to be sent out when the floods were imminent but one wasn’t issued until at least an hour later, a new report reveals.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has criticized the state’s preparation, arguing “something went wrong” at Camp Mystic. New York Senator Chuck Schumer has also called for an investigation into whether staffing cuts at the National Weather Service impacted the response time on July4.
