Daijiworld Media Network - Houston

Houston, Jul 6: Catastrophic flooding triggered by relentless rains across central Texas has claimed at least 49 lives, with dozens still missing, as rescue operations intensify across multiple counties.

The worst-hit region appears to be Kerr County, where 43 fatalities—including 28 adults and 15 children—have been confirmed following sudden flash floods that swept through the area early Friday morning, Sheriff Larry Leitha reported during a news briefing.

A particularly grim situation has unfolded at Camp Mystic, a well-known Christian summer camp for girls along the Guadalupe River, where 27 children remain unaccounted for, according to Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice. The camp, which typically accommodates around 750 campers each summer, was inundated within hours.

“We’ve been rescuing people out of these camps by the hundreds all day,” Rice said, describing the scale of the crisis.

In Travis County, four deaths and 13 missing persons have been reported so far, according to county judge Andy Brown, as cited by local broadcaster KXAN-TV.

Rescue operations were also underway in Burnet County, where two individuals have been confirmed dead and two others are still missing.

The severity of the disaster prompted Texas Governor Greg Abbott to expand the state's disaster declaration, adding six more counties on Saturday, bringing the total number affected to 20.

The National Weather Service (NWS) reported that the Guadalupe River in Kerr County surged from 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) to a shocking 29.5 feet (9 meters) in just three hours—marking the second-highest water level on record for the region.

Nim Kidd, head of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, acknowledged that early forecasts underestimated the rainfall intensity, contributing to the failure to anticipate the disaster’s true scale.

The floods have drawn global attention. On Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered condolences to the U.S. government and affected families.

“Deeply saddened to learn about the loss of lives, especially children, in the devastating floods in Texas. Our condolences to the US Government and the bereaved families,” he posted on X.

This latest tragedy adds to what has already been a year marked by weather extremes. 2024 has seen a record number of flash flood emergencies across the United States, according to AccuWeather, with Texas repeatedly at the center of severe weather events.

Rescue operations remain ongoing, with emergency personnel racing against time and challenging conditions in hopes of locating the missing and bringing relief to survivors.