Everything we know about devastating floods that have hit Texas as at least 100 dead
Catastrophic flash floods in Texas have tragically killed more than 100 people over the weekend, after the banks of the Guadalupe River burst.
Floodwaters rose 26 feet (eight metres) in just 45 minutes before the sun rose on Friday (4 July), sweeping away homes and vehicles.
As we enter the fifth day of the tragedy, the death toll has risen, and search and rescue missions are continuing to unfold as emergency services try to locate those still unaccounted for.
Among the dead are 27 campers and counsellors from a Christian all-girls camp, Camp Mystic, which was located on the bank of the river.
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Read on for everything you need to know about the disaster.
When and where did the Texas flash floods start?
Residents in and around Texas Hill Country, a region spanning central and southern Texas, awoke in the early hours of Friday morning to the sounds of a raging storm and rapidly rising floodwaters.
In under two hours, the river’s banks had burst and floodwaters had surged higher than two-storey buildings, reports Al Jazeera.
After a flood watch notice midday on Thursday, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning at 1.14 am on Friday to mobile phones and weather radios.
The first reports of flooding at low-water crossings in Kerr County were reported at 4.35am and the NWS warning was updated at 4.03am to a flash-flood emergency.
Kerr County, which is located 65 miles northwest of San Antonio, was struck the hardest, where 84 people died, among whom are 28 children, according to the local sheriff’s office.
The danger continued into the Fourth of July weekend as torrential rains continued pounding communities outside San Antonio on Saturday and warnings remained in effect.
Search and rescue teams used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to save stranded people in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads.
Who has been affected by the Texas flash floods and how many people have died?
As of today (8 July) the total number of deaths is confirmed to be at least 104, as per AP News.
Among the fatalities, 84 are from Kerr County, with the remainder of those who tragically lost their lives coming from other local areas.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Sunday that 41 people across the state were still missing.
Among those are 10 campers and one counsellor from the Christian all-girls camp, Camp Mystic, who were hit hard by the devastating floods.
27 of the casualties are from the camp, who said their ‘hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy’.
They wrote in a statement, which was issued on Monday (7 July) morning: "Camp Mystic is grieving the loss of 27 campers and counsellors following the catastrophic flooding on the Guadalupe River.
"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly.”
It continued: "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls.
"We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level.
"We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us."
According to the BBC, 22 adults and 10 children have yet to be identified, said the county sheriff's office.
Who are the victims of the Texas flash floods?
As the death toll rises, some of the names of victims have begun to emerge in the media.
The director of Camp Mystic, Richard ‘Dick’ Eastland, was tragically among those who lost their lives.
The 70-year-old father of four reportedly died while trying to save some of the campers from a cabin which was located around 150 yards from the river’s edge.
Camp counsellor Cami Wright, 57, told The Washington Post: “He died trying to save Mystic girls. That was his whole life. He was like a father to thousands of little girls.”
As per the BBC, eight-year-old Renee Smajstrla was also at the camp when floodwaters swept through; her uncle tragically confirmed in a Facebook post.
Nine-year-old Lila Bonner, eight-year-old Eloise Peck, nine-year-old Janie Hunt, and twin sisters Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, also both eight, have also been named by the publication as victims.
One of the camp’s counsellors, 18-year-old Chloe Childress, also lost her life in the floods.
Her family said in a statement that she ‘lived a beautiful life that saturated those around her with contagious joy, unending grace, and abiding faith’.
Father-of-three Julian Ryan, 27, died while saving his children and fiancée after flood waters burst into his family’s home in Ingram.
He heroically punched through a window to help his family escape to the roof but died after suffering injuries to his arm.
What is the situation now?
The NWS has said today that ‘chances of rain will decrease gradually Tuesday and drier and warmer conditions are forecast Wednesday through the weekend’.
However, before this, a series of flash flood warnings were still in effect for different cities and regions in central Texas.
Search and rescue efforts are continuing to try to locate the people who remain missing and the Texas National Guard was called up to help with the operation.
President Donald Trump has also said he plans to visit the flood zone on Friday, according to AP.
Topics: News, World News, US News
Madison Burgess