Over 80 people have been killed by catastrophic flash flooding in Texas caused by a July Fourth weekend storm.
As the hunt for catastrophe victims continues, Camp Mystic in Kerr County said Monday morning that it is grieving the death of 27 campers and counselors. The century-old summer camp was flooded on Friday, sending a wall of water across it.
With additional rain expected, central Texas was still at high risk of potentially fatal flooding.
There are numerous summer camps in the Texas Hill Country. The bodies of 68 persons, including 28 children, have been discovered by searchers there; ten more deaths have been reported in other parts of Texas.
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Forecasters warn of flooding in Austin and San Antonio.
Up to 4 more inches of heavy, slow-moving rain are predicted, according to the National Weather Service.
The flood watch is in effect until 7:00 p.m. local time.
A press conference regarding the search and rescue operation will be held by officials.
Since Camp Mystic officials revealed early this morning that they lost 27 campers and counselors when a wall of water surged through the campground in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July, the 10 a.m. Central news conference will be the first official update.
When most people were asleep, the floods were at their worst.
Because of the dry, dirt-packed terrain in the Texas Hill Country in the state’s center, where the soil allows rain to slide over the ground rather than soak it up, the region is inherently vulnerable to flash flooding.
A especially strong storm that dumped the majority of its 12 inches (30 cm) of rain in the dark, early morning hours led to Friday’s flash floods.
Important information regarding flash floods
Authorities are under fire for flash flood warnings.
Survivors claim they were not given any emergency warnings and have referred to the floodwaters as an apitch black wall of death.
Rob Kelly, a Kerr County Judge who resides near the Guadalupe River, stated on Saturday that nobody anticipated this. According to the historical record, the water levels were extremely unusual, and several officials have referred to it as a 100-year flood.
Furthermore, records supporting those figures don’t always take climate change brought on by humans into consideration.
Officials have also come under fire for failing to notify or advise residents and kids summer camps along the river to evacuate before 4 a.m.
Officials pointed out that too frequent flooding advisories or forecasts that prove to be small can wear people out.
Similar to a tornado warning system, Kerr County officials said they had proposed a more comprehensive flood warning system, but the public was upset about the expense.
Teams of search and rescue personnel are returning to the area to search for flood casualties.
More than 1,000 volunteers have been sent to the region, which is roughly 8 miles (13 kilometers) south of Kerrville, according to organizers at a staging location in Center Point, and more are on their way.
