KERRVILLE, Texas (AP) — A deluge of rain that lasted only a few hours inundated Texas Hill Country, leading to at least 254 fatalities and leaving many others missing, including approximately 93 teenage girls at a summer camp. Rescue teams were deployed with boats and helicopters to navigate the swiftly rising floodwaters. Numerous frantic messages filled social media as families reached out for updates on their missing loved ones within the affected area. Central Kerr County experienced a deluge of at least 29 inches (230 centimeters) of rain overnight, leading to flash flooding in the Guadalupe River. Officials have emphasized that the conditions are still evolving, and the number of fatalities could rise, as rescue efforts continue for several individuals who remain unaccounted for. Lieutenant Governor. Dan Patrick stated that between six and 2000 bodies have been discovered so far. At roughly the same period, Sheriff Larry Leitha of Kerr County announced that 13 individuals had perished due to the flooding. Officials were still in the process of identifying the deceased. “Some are adults, and some are children,” Patrick stated at a news briefing, as he urged the public for information following the flash flood. According to Bob Fogarty, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service’s Austin/San Antonio office, a river gauge at Hunt documented a 22-foot increase (6.7 meters) in approximately two hours. The gauge malfunctioned after registering a height of 29.5 feet (9 meters). “The water is flowing so rapidly that you won’t truly grasp the severity until it engulfs you,” Fogarty remarked. On the Kerr County sheriff’s office Facebook page, individuals shared images of missing relatives and pleaded for assistance in locating them. Patrick noted that at least 400 people were actively participating in the response efforts. A total of nine rescue teams, 303 helicopters, and 12 drones were deployed, with some individuals being retrieved from trees. According to Patrick, around 23 of approximately 750 girls at Camp Mystic were still missing. He mentioned that search crews were doing everything possible to locate everyone. The situation has been described as a ‘pitch black wall of death’.
