One of the most catastrophic flash floods in recent American history has claimed at least 119 lives in central Texas, with 161 people still missing, as rescue efforts enter their seventh day under mounting pressure and despair.
The unrelenting deluge, which began on 4 July following the bursting of the Guadalupe River’s banks, has decimated entire communities across Kerr County and beyond. Local authorities confirmed that among the 119 confirmed fatalities, 36 were children.
“Search teams continue to dig through mud and debris. The number of missing remains at 161,” a Kerr County official told reporters on Wednesday, adding that the confirmed death toll in the county alone stands at 95.
Governor Greg Abbott has ordered all flags across Texas to be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect. “Texas mourns,” his office stated, calling it a "tragedy of unthinkable proportions."
A particularly heart-wrenching episode has emerged from Camp Mystic, where 27 girls attending summer camp have been missing since the sudden flooding began. Authorities said five campers and one counsellor are still unaccounted for, while others from the group have been confirmed dead.
Also read: Death toll in Texas floods soars to 100; rescue operation on
Elsewhere across the state, another 24 lives have been lost, as emergency workers race against time to trace survivors or retrieve bodies. Over 2,000 personnel have been deployed in the rescue and recovery efforts, with search operations intensifying in river valleys and submerged rural districts.
The National Weather Service has warned of further scattered storms over the coming days in the Texas Hill Country, potentially worsening the situation. Isolated pockets could see heavy downpours, heightening the risks in regions already battered by the floods.
Meanwhile, the political fallout has begun to take shape. Some officials and commentators have pointed to President Donald Trump’s restrictions on federal disaster preparedness funds and climate mitigation aid as an underlying factor in the scale of the devastation. Although no official investigation has been announced, the remarks have triggered a political firestorm in Washington.
In neighbouring New Mexico, flash flooding in the village of Ruidoso claimed three lives on Tuesday, as the Ruidoso River surged to a record height of 20 feet (six metres). Local authorities fear further losses if the rain continues unabated.
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