At least 80 people, including 28 children, have died in severe flooding in Texas, according to the latest reports from authorities.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters on Sunday evening that the number of confirmed deaths in the county had jumped to 68: 40 adults and 28 children. In five other counties, CNN reported, citing local authorities, 12 more people were killed.
A state of emergency has been declared in several Texas counties: many roads have been destroyed and telephone lines are down. Another 41 people, including 10 girls, are missing.
The children who died and are missing were girls attending Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls near Kerrville, on the banks of the Guadalupe River, which unexpectedly burst its banks after heavy rains.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has also issued a flood warning for Comal County in south-central Texas. The service said in a statement that “a very slow-moving thunderstorm is producing extremely heavy rainfall of 4 to 6 inches per hour.”
The NWS is urging people in the immediate vicinity of the disaster area to seek higher ground and anyone who still has time to do so to evacuate immediately.
“We are dealing with an emergency and extreme situation,” the warning on the NWS website said.
Supreme support in the battle against Texas flooding
US President Donald Trump said his administration was working closely with state authorities, adding that US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had been dispatched to Texas at his request.
Noem said at a press conference in Texas that the president was “deeply saddened” by the loss of life in the floods and had asked her to tell the state’s residents how much he and Melania were grieving and that he was ready to provide all federal resources to assist in the search efforts.
According to Noem, there is no one better than local rescuers, as they know the area well, but the federal government must provide them with maximum support.
Noem also noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is on “high alert” and will continue to provide timely and effective assistance in rescue operations, including more planes and helicopters.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an order granting rescue workers access to all necessary resources and stated that the search for the missing would continue uninterrupted.
