The death toll from the devastating flash floods that ravaged central Texas in the United States over the weekend has risen to at least 104, with over 30 people still unaccounted for, as search and rescue efforts continue amid renewed weather threats.
Authorities say the Guadalupe River, swollen by torrential downpours before daybreak on Friday, caused catastrophic flooding particularly in Kerr County, where 84 of the victims — 56 adults and 28 children, were confirmed dead, according to BBC.
The county sheriff’s office reported that 22 adults and 10 children remain unidentified.
Among the worst-hit locations was Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls’ summer camp, which confirmed on Monday that 27 girls and staff members were among the dead. Ten girls and a camp counselor remain missing.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy,” the camp said in a statement.
He died while attempting to rescue children, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Local pastor Del Way, a close friend of the Eastland family, told the BBC, “The whole community will miss him. He died a hero.”
Search teams continue to comb through the muddy, debris-strewn riverbanks despite fading hopes of finding more survivors.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast more slow-moving thunderstorms in the coming days, raising concerns of further flash flooding in the region.
As questions arise over the adequacy of the federal disaster response, critics have pointed to significant job cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the parent agency of the NWS.
However, the White House has firmly rejected suggestions that these cuts hindered the emergency response.
“That was an act of God,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt during Monday’s daily briefing.
“It’s not the administration’s fault that the flood hit when it did, but there were early and consistent warnings and, again, the National Weather Service did its job.”
Leavitt noted that the NWS office in Austin-San Antonio had five staff members on duty Thursday night, a standard level for severe weather situations.
She added that the office issued a flood watch on Thursday afternoon, followed by several warnings during the night and early morning of July 4.
President Donald Trump, who is expected to visit Texas later this week, also pushed back against criticism during a Sunday press conference, initially blaming what he called “the Biden set-up” before clarifying, “But I wouldn’t blame Biden for it, either. I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe.”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz urged unity, stating during a news conference, “Now is not the time for partisan finger-pointing.”
Meanwhile, local activist Nicole Wilson has launched a petition urging Kerr County to implement a flood siren system, something that has been debated for nearly a decade but never funded.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick acknowledged the importance of such a system, saying, “Those sirens might have saved lives. They should be in place by next summer.”
Condolences have poured in from around the globe. King Charles III conveyed his sympathies in a letter to President Trump, expressing “profound sadness” over the tragedy.
The British Embassy in Washington confirmed the King had “offered his deepest sympathy” to the victims and their families.
