Rescue Efforts Underway Following Devastating Floods in South and Central Texas
Rescue teams are racing against time to locate dozens of missing individuals in Texas, where sudden flooding has already resulted in at least 59 fatalities. The disaster struck in the south and central regions of Texas, where such sudden floods are not uncommon.
Community and Authorities Join Forces in the Search
Local residents have joined forces with authorities to search for the missing, including 27 girls from a Christian group who were camping by the Guadalupe River.
Update from Texas Officials
“We still have heavy rainfall, and the death toll is now at 59, unfortunately expected to rise,” Texas’s Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick informed Fox News.
Pope Francis extended his condolences to the families of the victims, praying for them during the Angelus prayer in the Vatican.
Governor’s Statement on the Tragedy
Texas Governor Greg Abbott reported that there were around 750 girls at the Mystic Camp when the Guadalupe River overflowed. He described the situation as “devastating in a way I’ve never seen in any natural disaster.”
“The water level reached the top of the cabins,” Abbott explained after visiting the area. “We will not stop until we find all the girls,” he added.
Further Rainfall Warning
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a warning on Sunday about the risk of additional heavy rainfall in already saturated areas of Texas, with possible accumulations ranging from 50 to 100 millimeters and isolated maximums of around 250 millimeters.
“It’s challenging to pinpoint exactly where the heaviest rainfall will occur,” stated the weather service in its latest bulletin.
Flood Details
On Friday, the Guadalupe River rose eight meters in just 45 minutes due to over 300 millimeters of rainfall during the night, which is one-third of the annual average precipitation.
So far, 59 bodies have been recovered in Texas.
The camp owner and director was also among the deceased due to the floods, according to Kerrville’s town council, where the camp was located.
“Sudden flooding is not uncommon in south and central Texas, where the soil lacks the capacity to absorb heavy rainfall from torrential downpours,” explained meteorologists. “The area where the recent flood occurred is known as ‘the valley of sudden flash floods.'”
“The water reached the tops of trees, about 10 meters high,” described Gerardo Martínez, a 61-year-old resident. “Cars and entire houses were swept away by the river.”
Criticism of Climate Change Policies
Scientists and disaster management agencies have criticized President Donald Trump for budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), responsible for weather forecasting and warnings.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated on Sunday that Trump aims to “upgrade NOAA’s technologies.” “We need to modernize this outdated system,” she said during a press conference.
Scientists warn that extreme weather events, such as floods, droughts, and heatwaves, are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who are the missing individuals? Dozens of people, including 27 girls from a Christian group, are missing following the sudden floods in Texas.
- How many lives have been lost? At least 59 fatalities have been reported in Texas due to the floods.
- What is the current situation? Rescue efforts are ongoing amidst warnings of further heavy rainfall, and the death toll is expected to rise.
- What are the criticisms against the Trump administration? Scientists and disaster management agencies have criticized budget cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under President Donald Trump.
- Why are sudden floods common in Texas? Sudden floods occur frequently in south and central Texas due to the soil’s inability to absorb heavy rainfall from torrential downpours.
