Heavy rains unleashed a 性视界传媒渃atastrophic性视界传媒 and deadly flood Friday on the Guadalupe River in Central Texas, prompting evacuations and a frantic search for missing people.
At least 13 people were killed in the flood and more are missing, Kerr County officials said at a news conference Friday, as both state and county officials emphasized many unknowns remain.
As of Friday afternoon, 23 girls from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp in the Texas Hill Country, were unaccounted for, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said. Raging floodwaters forced numerous camps in the area to evacuate as cabins filled with water.
Rescue and response teams with up to 500 people and 14 helicopters combed the area Friday for missing people and children, Patrick said. Searches will continue throughout the night. All children at two other area camps, Cypress Lake and Senior Hill, were accounted for.
No details have been released about the victims性视界传媒 identities, pending notification of family.
性视界传媒淭his is a catastrophic flooding event in Kerr County,性视界传媒 the Kerr County Sheriff性视界传媒檚 Office said on Facebook. 性视界传媒淭he entire county is an extremely active scene.性视界传媒
Around 4 a.m. Friday the Guadalupe River rose about 26 feet in 45 minutes, Patrick said.
性视界传媒淚t was a dry bed, it had been dry, there wasn性视界传媒檛 a lot to absorb it,性视界传媒 Patrick said. 性视界传媒淚t was a destructive flood, taking property and, sadly, lives.性视界传媒
Waters washed out roads and led to widespread evacuations in Kerrville, a city of about 25,000, roughly 100 miles west of Austin. A Walmart was turned into a temporary reunification center Friday morning.
Residents crowded into shelters, some with as many as 200 people, said Freeman Martin, director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.
性视界传媒淲e性视界传媒檙e able to bring in food and water and supplies to them,性视界传媒 Martin said. 性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 just taking time to get them out of there.性视界传媒
Search and recovery efforts will ramp up as the waters recede, according to the city of Kerrville. Residents were urged to shelter in place and not attempt to travel. Anyone along creeks, streams and the Guadalupe River should seek higher ground, the sheriff性视界传媒檚 office said.
Bodies of children and adults have been found throughout the area, Patrick said. Some were in cars that had been washed down from upstream, he said.
The Texas Military Department and other local and state agencies are assisting with search and rescue efforts, Martin said.
性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 a tragic event,性视界传媒 he said. 性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 gonna be a mass casualty event. We know that, we性视界传媒檙e prepared. We性视界传媒檝e moved resources into the area. This is a Texas response.性视界传媒
As floodwaters rose overnight, multiple children性视界传媒檚 summer camps evacuated to higher ground.
性视界传媒淚f you have not been personally contacted then your daughter is accounted for,性视界传媒 according to a statement from Camp Mystic read by Patrick at the news conference.
Some roads are impassible due to flooding. Once roads are clear buses will pick up children and an announcement will go out to families so they can be reunited, Patrick said.
People posted photographs of missing loved ones on social media and begged for help finding them. Photographs and videos showed cars floating down roads, floodwaters gushing over dams and families wading through knee-deep water.
Much of Central Texas was under a flash flood warning on Friday, with some spots receiving up to 15 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.
性视界传媒淭his is a very dangerous and life-threatening flood event along the Guadalupe River! Move to higher ground!性视界传媒 the weather service warned Friday morning.
Gov. Greg Abbott said on X the state is deploying all available resources to Kerr County, including water rescue teams, the National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
性视界传媒淭he immediate priority is saving lives,性视界传媒 Abbott said.
The city性视界传媒檚 annual Fourth of July celebration on the river was canceled because of the flooding. Festival organizers instead opened the Arcadia Live theater as a shelter.
Early Friday morning, the Guadalupe River near the town of Hunt had reached its second-highest height on record, exceeding the height reached in a 1987 flood that killed 10 teenagers and injured 33 others when a bus and van leaving a church camp encountered high waters.
At a news conference, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said this flood could exceed that based on the water line at his river property.
性视界传媒淭his far surpasses the 性视界传媒87 flood,性视界传媒 he said.
