Texas Flash Floods: Death Toll rises to 43; Rescue Ops Onderweg – Times of India

At least 43 people died in the serious floods that hit Texas Hill Country early Friday confirmed Sheriff Larry Leitha of Kerr County when the search for dozens of missing girls. The victims are 28 adults and 15 children.The authorities had previously reported that 27 girls from a Christian summer camp along the Guadalupe River were among the missing. Officials believe that some of the campers can be stranded and unable to reach help.An American Congressman has confirmed that his two daughters were safely evacuated from Camp Mystic, the summer camp for girls.Representative August PFLUGER announced on Saturday by post on X that he and his wife are now “reunited” with their daughters.“The last day has brought many families unimaginable sadness and we mourn them and keep hope for survivors,” he wrote.“Please participate today when we pray for miracles,” he added. During a press conference on Friday evening, the Governor of Texas Greg Abbott stated that the State uses all the necessary means to support current search and rescue activities. This includes staff of the Texas National Guard and State Troopers.Abbott explained a state of disaster for different provinces in the Hill Country region, located about 70 miles north of San Antonio. On Saturday he expanded the statement with extra provinces affected by the floods and asked formally federal help through a signed disaster statement.W Nim Kidd, head of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said on Saturday afternoon that authorities still “actively seek” for survivors, although he acknowledged that the mission will “be recovered at a certain moment.”“If you talk to the men and women who are there in those helicopters and walk in those boats and on the floor, they are now looking for living people and do everything they can to keep looking as quickly as possible,” said Kidd at a press conference.Governor Abbott, who also spoke during the briefing, emphasized that he led all the government agencies involved in the efforts to “assume that everyone is missing” and emphasized that “every minute counts.”According to officials, more than 850 people have been saved so far, many with the help of helicopters. The Texas authorities also stated that various areas affected by floods still experience electricity and internet loss.