Tragic Floods in Texas: Over 160 Missing and 109 Confirmed Dead

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Texas Governor Greg Abbott reported on Tuesday that more than 161 individuals are currently unaccounted for and at least 109 have tragically lost their lives due to the devastating floods that struck the state last weekend. The governor, speaking at a press conference held in Hunt, Texas—one of the areas hardest hit—declared that the top priority is to locate every missing person. Governor Abbott's remarks come amidst a growing concern as the number of missing individuals continues to rise. Most of the missing and deceased are linked to Kerr County, where the towns of Hunt and Kerrville are located. According to reports, 94 of the fatalities have been confirmed in this area alone, prompting local authorities to implement a registration system for families to report their loved ones. This system is being utilized to cross-reference the information with the identified bodies. There are increasing concerns about the number of minors affected, particularly with at least 30 reported in Kerr County, including 21 confirmed deaths and six missing from a Christian summer camp. Many residents have voiced concerns regarding the lack of evacuation orders prior to the disaster. Despite receiving flood alerts in the early hours of July 4, no evacuation directives were issued. In light of rising scrutiny regarding the authorities' response, Governor Abbott announced plans for a special session of the state legislature to investigate the circumstances surrounding the floods and ensure that proper preventive measures are established to avoid such tragedies in the future. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha Jr. emphasized that the immediate focus is on locating the missing individuals, identifying them, and notifying their families, rather than assessing the authorities' response to the crisis. Residents expressed frustration over the delays in evacuation orders, with many claiming they were not adequately warned given the severity of the weather forecasts. The National Weather Service began issuing flood alerts as early as 1 AM on Saturday, warning of potential flooding threats in the counties of Bandera and Kerr. However, early assessments acknowledge that rain forecasts may have significantly underestimated the amount of rainfall, which ranged between 127 to 279 centimeters in numerous affected counties. Experts suggest that if organized camps and local authorities had adhered to government warnings, more lives could have been spared. As rescue efforts continue, the overwhelming priority remains: to find and account for every person impacted by this catastrophe. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2