The death toll from the flood along the Guadalupe River Basin in Texas has climbed to 79 as of July 6, with 10 girls and one counselor from Camp Mystic still missing.
At least 28 of the deceased have been confirmed to be children.
The New York Times reported on Sunday:
“The death toll rose to 79 and dozens remained unaccounted for, including 10 girls from a summer camp on the river.”
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said, “22 of those found dead had not yet been identified, including four children,” according to a live blog from the New York Times.
Hundreds of rescuers were still searching through Sunday afternoon, as rain continued to pour down in the already devastated areas of Kerr County.
Gov. Greg Abbott called the situation “nothing short of horrific” during a press conference on Sunday afternoon. He said authorities continue “searching for every single one of the children who were at Camp Mystic as well as anybody else in the entire river bed.”
Abbott also warned that there may be additional flash floods in the Concho Valley and near Kerrville over the next 24-48 hours.
“If you’re in any of those areas, you need to realize you’re in an area that is already saturated with water,” the governor said.
In the early morning of July 4, the disaster unfolded rapidly after a storm system dumped 5–11 inches of rain in just a few hours, with some areas near Hunt recording up to 20.33 inches.
The Guadalupe River surged to its second-highest level on record, rising 26 feet in 45 minutes and peaking at 29 feet, surpassing even the infamous 1987 flood.
The suddenness of the flood caught residents and officials off guard, as the National Weather Service’s Thursday advisory had failed to predict the extreme rainfall’s intensity.
At Camp Mystic, where nearly 750 girls were staying, the floodwaters ravaged cabins near the river. Families of the missing girls posted photos and phone numbers on social media, asking people to pray for miracles. Unfortunately, at least 11 campers under nine years old were among the victims who did not make it out.
Over 850 people have been rescued, many of whom were clinging to trees or stranded in isolated areas, with rescuers in helicopters and boats playing a critical role.
WATCH ABBOTT’S PRESS CONFERENCE IN FULL:
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