KERVILLE, Texas (AP) — Carr County Sheriff Larry Leesa says 11 campers and camping counselors are still missing after strong flooding flooded central Texas.
Dozens have been killed since raging floods denounced parts of central Texas since Friday.
Deaths from the sink rose to nearly 70 on Sunday after searchers found more bodies in Kerr County, where the most hits were. Victims include children who were camping along the banks of the Guadalupe River.
Officials say they won’t stop searching until everyone is found.
Most of the deaths come in Kerr County, a state hill country. Fifty-nine deaths (38 adults and 21 children) have been reported in Kerr County, with additional deaths in Travis, Burnett and Kendall County.
Rescuers dealt with broken trees, capsized cars and muddy debris in the difficult task of finding survivors. Authorities have not yet said how many people are missing, except for the children at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp where most of the deaths have recovered.
Every hour, the outlook became even darker. Volunteers and missing families heading to the disaster zone began searching the riverbank despite being asked not to.
Authorities faced growing questions about whether adequate warnings have been issued in areas that have long been vulnerable to flooding, and whether adequate preparations have been made.
Destructive, fast water rose 26 feet (8 meters) in the river just 45 minutes before dawn on Friday, washing away homes and cars. The danger wasn’t over as flash flood clocks were in effect and more rain fell in central Texas on Sunday.
Searchers used helicopters, boats and drones to search for the victims and rescued them from camps isolated by people left behind in the trees and washed roads. Authorities said more than 850 people were rescued in the first 36 hours.
Prayer Day in Texas
Gov. Governor Greg Abbott said authorities vowed to work 24 hours a day and new areas are being searched as the water recedes. He declared a Day of Prayer for the nation on Sunday.
“I urge all Texans to join us in prayer this Sunday, for the lost lives, those still missing, for the recovery of our community, and for the safety of those on the frontline,” he said in a statement.
In Rome, Pope Leo XIV offered special prayers for those exposed to the disaster. The first American Pope in history spoke in English at the end of the noon blessing on Sunday.
Hills along the Guadalupe River are dotted with young youth camps and campsites of the century, where generations of families enjoy swimming and outdoor activities. The area is particularly popular on Independence Day holidays, making it even more difficult to know how many people are missing.
“At this point, I don’t want to start estimating,” Carville city manager Dalton Rice said Saturday.
A tragic escape from the flood
Survivors shared a horrifying story of floods clinging to trees as they pass by trees and cars. Others fled to the attic inside their homes and prayed that the water would not reach them.
At Camp Mystic, a cabin filled with girls, hanging on ropes strung by rescuers, was walking across the bridge whipping his legs.
Among the dead was an eight-year-old girl from Mountain Brook, Alabama.
Locals know the area as a “slash flood alley,” but flooding in the middle of the night has surprised many campers and residents, even if there is a warning.
The warning came before the disaster
The National Weather Service on Thursday advised on potential floods and sent a series of flash flood warnings early on Friday, followed by a flash flood emergency.
At the Mo-Ranch camp in the Hunt community, authorities were monitoring the weather and chose to move hundreds of campers and participants to the high altitude at the church youth conference. At nearby camps, Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers said on social media that they had been watching the weather the day before Thursday’s second summer session.
Authorities and elected officials say they do not expect such a fierce downpour.
Rep. Chip Roy, from the district, including the destroyed areas, admitted that there was a second guess and pointing as people were looking for someone to take responsibility.
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Cortez reported from Hunt, Texas, and Seawor from Toledo, Ohio. Contributors were Susan Hay of Hartford, Connecticut, Susan Montoya Brian of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Nicole Winfield of Rome.
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