Heavy rains hit central Texas, causing deadly floods along the Guadalupe River. Officials confirmed that at least 13 people died and 20 girls who attended the summer camp were missing. Search and rescue operations are being carried out urgently, and the disaster is still expanding.
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said at a press conference on the afternoon of the 4th, Independence Day (Friday), that 20 girls were missing after a sudden flood at Camp Mystic, a summer camp on the Guadalupe River in Hunt. In the nearby Kerrville area, some residents were placed in the church activity center. Many people looked haggard and wrapped in blankets to avoid the cold.
According to the New York Times, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the water level of the Guadalupe River was only 7 feet at midnight, and it had risen to more than 29 feet at 4 a.m. The river water rose by more than 20 feet in just a few hours, setting a record high.
Lisa Walter, a spokeswoman for Kerr County, said the death toll is expected to be higher, and specific details will be announced after the families are notified. “Please remember that this disaster happened only a few hours ago, and the situation is still very urgent and changing,” she said.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office called on residents to “shelter in place and do not go out.” People living near streams, rivers and the Guadalupe River should immediately go to high ground for safety. Because the nearby roads were washed away, Camp Mystic had difficulty contacting the outside world. The camp is working with the search and rescue team, but it is in urgent need of more support.
On social media, many parents posted photos of the missing girl and pleaded with the public to help find her. Brian Eads, a man in Kerrville, said that at around 3:30 a.m., the flood destroyed their trailer, and he and his wife were both washed away by the water. He was lucky to be rescued by grabbing a tree, but he still does not know the whereabouts of his wife.
Kerrville police and fire departments are assisting residents in evacuating and setting up Walmart supermarket as a temporary shelter. Officials urge the public not to enter the flooded area, do not drive through the water, and do not call 911 to inquire about the latest situation.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for many places in western and central Texas, and the warning is expected to last until 3 pm local time. The weather bureau pointed out that some areas have received more than 10 inches of rainfall in a few hours, causing serious waterlogging in streams, cities, and roads, threatening people’s lives.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that the state government has mobilized resources from various units to support disaster relief in Kerrville, Ingram, Hunter and other places, and called on the public to pay close attention to official guidance and not to risk wading.
At present, the search and rescue operation is still ongoing, and the situation in the disaster area may change at any time.
