At the very least 32 individuals have died within the extreme flooding that hit Texas Hill Nation early Friday, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed on Saturday afternoon. The victims embody 18 adults and 14 youngsters, with 5 adults and three youngsters nonetheless unidentified.Authorities additionally reported that 27 women from a Christian summer season camp situated alongside the Guadalupe River are among the many lacking. Officers consider a number of the campers could also be stranded and unable to succeed in out for assist.A US Congressman has confirmed that his two daughters had been safely evacuated from Camp Mystic, the summer season camp for women.Consultant August Pfluger introduced on Saturday through a put up on X that he and his spouse have been “now reunited” with their daughters.“The final day has introduced unimaginable grief to many households and we mourn with them in addition to holding out hope for survivors,” he wrote.“Please be a part of us at the moment as we pray for miracles,” he added. At a information convention on Friday evening, Texas Governor Greg Abbott acknowledged that the state is deploying all crucial assets to help ongoing search and rescue operations. This consists of personnel from the Texas Nationwide Guard and state troopers.Abbott declared a state of catastrophe for a number of counties within the Hill Nation area, situated about 70 miles north of San Antonio. On Saturday, he expanded the declaration to incorporate further counties affected by the flooding and formally requested federal help by means of a signed catastrophe declaration.W Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas division of emergency administration, stated Saturday afternoon that authorities are nonetheless “actively looking” for survivors, though he acknowledged that the mission “will flip into restoration in some unspecified time in the future.”“If you speak to the women and men which might be up there in these helicopters and out in these boats and strolling the bottom, they’re searching for stay individuals proper now and doing all the pieces they will to proceed to look as quick as doable,” Kidd stated at a press convention.Governor Abbott, additionally talking on the briefing, emphasised that he has directed all state businesses concerned within the efforts to “assume all people lacking is alive” and burdened that “each minute counts.”Greater than 850 individuals have been rescued to this point, many with the assistance of helicopters, in keeping with officers. Texas authorities additionally acknowledged that a number of flood-affected areas are nonetheless experiencing energy and web outages.
