Death Toll Rises To 51 In Central TX Floods; Search Continues For Survivors

At least 51 people were killed — including 15 children — after catastrophic flash flooding devastated central Texas Friday, the New York Times reported.

A storm unleashed nearly 15 inches of rain in Kerr County on Friday, sending floodwaters from the Guadalupe River throughout the hill region over the July 4 holiday weekend, Reuters said. Waters reached as high as 29 feet in some areas.

The area is about 85 miles northwest of San Antonio. Flash flood warnings and watches remained in effect Saturday evening.

The National Weather Service predicted three to six inches of rain during the overnight storms Friday. The downpours and catastrophic flooding that ended up happening were not predicted, state officials said.

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The fast-moving waters washed away homes and vehicles, and unsuspecting people were swept away by the historic flash flood.

Dozens remained missing Saturday evening, including more than 20 girls from Camp Mystic, a riverside Christian camp in Hunt, Texas.

“The camp was completely destroyed,” Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers, said. “A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary.”

Gov. Greg Abbott vowed that authorities will be relentless and work around the clock to rescue and recover victims, adding that new areas were being searched as the water receded.

“We will find every one of them,” he said.

In addition to Kerry County, fatalities have also been confirmed in nearby counties, including Travis, Kendall and Burnet.

There have also been some daring rescues, including a woman who was on a camping trip with her family before being separated from them and swept away by floodwaters. After being in the water for four hours, she was eventually able to pull herself onto a tree miles from her campsite, and a nearby resident helped rescue her, CNN said.

Hundreds have also been rescued from campsites along the river as waters surged.

Search and rescue continues to be prioritized by crews responding to the area, using helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads.

“We’re really focused on life safety,” Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told CNN. “Our primary focus is on search and rescue of every single person involved, and we’ll continue through the night to make sure that happens.”

He added, “We’re in a marathon, and we got to make sure we always think about that and look after each other.”

This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.

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