Deaths from Texas floods exceed 100, many from youth summer camp
Among the dead were at least 27 children and counsellors at the Mystic girls’ summer camp when disaster struck
More than 100 people have been confirmed dead in floods that tore through central Texas over the weekend, marking a grim milestone as searchers used boats, dogs and drones to locate victims and authorities debated whether anything more could have been done to prevent the disaster.
Confirmed fatalities reached 104, according to Associated Press, and included 27 children and counsellors who had been missing from the Mystic girls’ summer camp that sat alongside the Guadalupe River in the heart of the Hill Country, a popular recreation area that is about a two-hour drive west of Austin.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” the camp said in a statement. “We are praying for them constantly.”
Authorities refused to say at a news conference on Monday how many people were still believed missing, but warned that more heartache was sure to come even as they held out hope of finding survivors.
“We remain hopeful every foot, every mile, every bend of the river,” said Joe Herring Jnr, mayor of Kerrville, one of the hardest hit areas. “Our work continues.”