Latest news with #LarryLeitha
New Indian Express
23 minutes ago
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Search for missing girls as Texas flood death toll rises to 43
HUNT: Rescuers searched Saturday for 27 girls missing from a riverside summer camp in the US state of Texas, after torrential rains caused devastating flooding that killed at least 43 people, with more rain pounding the region. "We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County. Among these who are deceased we have 28 adults and 15 children," said Kerr Country Sheriff Larry Leitha. Leitha earlier put the number of evacuated people at 850, including eight reported injured. Addressing a press conference, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was expanding a state disaster declaration and was requesting additional federal resources from US President Donald Trump. Texas Department of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said air, ground and water-based crews were scouring the length of the Guadalupe River for survivors and the bodies of the dead. "We will continue the search until all those who are missing are found," he said. The flooding began Friday -- the start of the fourth of July holiday weekend -- as months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours, causing the Guadalupe River to rise by 26 feet (eight meters) in 45 minutes. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that more rain was forecast, and that "excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations." In Kerrville on Saturday, the usually calm Guadalupe was flowing fast, its murky waters filled with debris. "The water reached the top of the trees. About 10 meters or so," said local resident Gerardo Martinez, 61. "Cars, whole houses were going down the river." Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual. But scientists say that in recent years human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events like floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense.
Bangkok Post
24 minutes ago
- Climate
- Bangkok Post
US rescuers search for missing girls in deadly Texas flash floods
HUNT (UNITED STATES) - Rescuers were on Saturday searching for more than 20 girls missing from a riverside summer camp in the US state of Texas, after torrential rains caused devastating flooding that killed 24 people -- with more rain on the way. "At this point we're at about 24 fatalities," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told an evening press conference on Friday, as rescue teams scrambled to locate stranded residents in the south-central Texas region. Some of the dead were children, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said at a previous news conference. On Saturday, the National Weather Service warned of more extremely heavy rain and "locally catastrophic" flash flooding to come in the region, located northwest of San Antonio. "Flash flooding is already occurring," the NWS said in an alert, calling on residents to move to higher ground, and to "act quickly to protect your life." In Kerrville on Saturday, the usually calm Guadalupe River was flowing fast, its murky waters filled with debris. "It rained in a day what it usually rains in a year," said local resident Gerardo Martinez, 61. "The water reached the top of the trees. About ten meters or so," he added. "Cars, whole houses were going down the river. That was pretty bad." - 'Still missing' - Friday saw a massive rescue operation launched, with around 500 personnel and 14 helicopters helping in the search for survivors. Texas military official Major General Thomas Suelzer told reporters at least 237 people had been rescued or evacuated by emergency personnel, with 167 rescues performed using helicopters. On Friday evening, the county sheriff said as many as 25 children from the Camp Mystic Christian summer camp in the flooded Kerr County were missing. Lieutenant Governor Patrick put the number of missing children at "about 23." On Saturday, US media reported that two of the missing girls were dead, citing their families. The Heart O' The Hills summer camp, located about a mile away from Camp Mystic, confirmed on Saturday that its director Jane Ragsdale was among the dead. They were among the roughly 750 children at Camp Mystic, a girls summer camp along the banks of the Guadalupe River, which rose 26 feet (eight meters) in 45 minutes with heavy rainfall overnight. "That does not mean they've been lost, they could be in a tree, they could be out of communication," Patrick said. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a disaster declaration to boost resources for counties in the region, and President Donald Trump has promised federal support. Vice President JD Vance on Saturday described the disaster as "an incomprehensible tragedy." - 'Mass casualty event' - Freeman Martin, director of the state's public safety department, said continuing heavy rain had made conditions challenging for rescuers. Martin called the disaster a "mass casualty event." State and local officials warned against residents traveling to the area which includes camp grounds dotted along the river, with dozens of roads impassable. Videos on social media showed houses and trees swept away by the flash flood caused by heavy overnight rain of up to 12 inches -- one-third of Kerr County's average annual rainfall. Governor Abbott shared a video on X of a victim being plucked from the top of a tree by a rescuer dangling from a helicopter, as floodwaters raged below. The Texas National Guard sent rescue teams and the US Coast Guard joined efforts as well. - 'Another wave' - Kerr County officials have repeatedly said they were unaware of an impending flood overnight from Thursday to Friday. "We didn't know this flood was coming," Kerr County judge Rob Kelly said on Friday, adding that the region has "floods all the time." "This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States," he added, referring to the Guadalupe River. Soila Reyna, 55, a Kerrville resident who works at a local church helping people who lost their belongings, witnessed the devastation unfold. "It has been years since we had a flood, but nothing like this," Reyna said. "Nothing like as catastrophic as this, where it involved children, people and just the loss of people's houses and you know, it's just crazy," she added. Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual. But scientists say in recent years human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events like floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and intense. In Kerrville, Martinez said Friday's flooding was some of the worst he had ever seen. "There is a saying here that there's a flood every hundred years," he said. "We had it. We've never seen anything like that and hopefully we won't ever see it again."
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Climate
- Express Tribune
27 people dead in Texas flooding
First responders survey rising flood waters of the Guadalupe River after flash flooding in Kerr County, Texas, U.S. July 4, 2025 in a still image from video. ABC Affiliate KSAT via REUTERS Some 27 people, including nine children, have been confirmed dead after flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Saturday, as rescuers continued a frantic search for survivors including dozens still missing from a girls' summer camp. The sheriff's office in Kerr County, Texas said more than 800 people had been evacuated from the region as flood waters receded in the area around the Guadalupe River, about 85 miles (137 km) northwest of San Antonio. "We will not stop until every single person is found," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a news conference. At least 23 to 25 people from the Camp Mystic summer camp were missing, most of them reported to be young girls. The river waters rose 29 feet rapidly near the camp. The US National Weather Service said that the flash flood emergency has largely ended for Kerr County, the epicenter of the flooding, following thunderstorms that dumped as much as a foot of rain early on Friday. A flood watch, however, remained in effect until 7 pm for the broader region. Kerr County sits in the Texas Hill Country, a rural area known for its rugged terrain, historic towns and other tourist attractions. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said up to 500 rescue workers were searching for an unknown number of people who were still missing, including many who had come to the area for an Independence Day celebration by the river. "We don't know how many people were in tents on the side, in small trailers by the side, in rented homes by the side, because it was going to be the Fourth of July holiday," he said on Fox News Live.
New Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Climate
- New Straits Times
Search for missing girls as Texas flood death toll rises to 43
HUNT, United States: Rescuers searched Saturday for 27 girls missing from a riverside summer camp in the US state of Texas, after torrential rains caused devastating flooding that killed at least 43 people -- with more rain pounding the region. "We have recovered 43 deceased individuals in Kerr County. Among these who are deceased we have 28 adults and 15 children," said Kerr Country Sheriff Larry Leitha. Leitha earlier put the number of evacuated people at 850, including eight reported injured. Addressing a press conference, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he was expanding a state disaster declaration and was requesting additional federal resources from US President Donald Trump. Texas Department of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said air, ground and water-based crews were scouring the length of the Guadalupe River for survivors and the bodies of the dead. "We will continue the search until all those who are missing are found," he said. The flooding began Friday -- the start of the fourth of July holiday weekend -- as months' worth of rain fell in a matter of hours, causing the Guadalupe River to rise by 26 feet (eight meters) in 45 minutes. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned that more rain was forecast, and that "excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations." Multiple flash flood warnings remained in place over the weekend in central Texas. In Kerrville on Saturday, the usually calm Guadalupe was flowing fast, its murky waters filled with debris. "The water reached the top of the trees. About 10 meters or so," said local resident Gerardo Martinez, 61. "Cars, whole houses were going down the river." Flash floods, which occur when the ground is unable to absorb torrential rainfall, are not unusual. But scientists say that in recent years human-driven climate change has made extreme weather events like floods, droughts and heat waves more frequent and more intense. On Saturday, Sheriff Leitha said 27 children from the Camp Mystic Christian summer camp in the flooded Kerr County were still missing. Around 750 girls were enrolled at the camp. US media reported that four of the missing girls were dead, citing their families. The camp, located along the banks of the Guadalupe, was a picture of disarray, with blankets, mattresses, teddy bears and other belongings caked in mud. The windows of camp cabins were shattered, apparently by the force of the water. Michael, who only gave AFP his first name, was searching the camp for his eight-year-old daughter. "I was in Austin and drove down yesterday morning, once we heard about it," he said, adding that he was hoping for a "miracle." The Heart O' The Hills summer camp, located about a mile from Camp Mystic, confirmed on Saturday that its director Jane Ragsdale was among the dead. Department of Homeland Security head Kristi Noem told a press conference that Trump wanted to "upgrade the technologies" at the weather service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Trump's administration has faced criticism from scientists and disaster management agencies after cutting funding and hundreds of staff at the NOAA, in charge of weather forecasts and preparedness, and the NWS. "We need to renew this ancient system," Noem said. When asked about claims that residents were given insufficient warning of the floods, Noem said she would "carry your concerns back to the federal government." Officials have said the speed and level of flooding was shocking. "We didn't know this flood was coming," Kerr County official Rob Kelly said Friday. Kerrville city official Dalton Rice said rescuers were facing "very difficult" conditions, warning people against traveling to the site. Rice added it was not known how many people may have been visiting the popular camping area, and declined to give an overall figure for how many were missing. Soila Reyna, 55, a Kerrville resident who works at a local church helping people who lost their belongings, witnessed the devastation unfold. "It has been years since we had a flood, but nothing like this," Reyna said. "Nothing like as catastrophic as this, where it involved children, people and just the loss of people's houses... It's just crazy," she added. With rescuers fanning out across the region, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring urged the community to come together. "People need to know today will be a hard day," he said. - AFP
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Texas flash floods: Death toll rises to 43; rescue ops under way
Texas floods (AP) At least 43 people have died in the severe flooding that hit Texas Hill Country early Friday, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed as the search continued for dozens of missing girls. The victims include 28 adults and 15 children. Earlier, authorities had reported that 27 girls from a Christian summer camp located along the Guadalupe River were among the missing. Officials believe some of the campers may be stranded and unable to reach out for help. A US Congressman has confirmed that his two daughters were safely evacuated from Camp Mystic, the summer camp for girls. Representative August Pfluger announced on Saturday via a post on X that he and his wife have been 'now reunited' with their daughters. 'The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families and we mourn with them as well as holding out hope for survivors,' he wrote. 'Please join us today as we pray for miracles,' he added. At a news conference on Friday night, Texas Governor Greg Abbott stated that the state is deploying all necessary resources to support ongoing search and rescue operations. This includes personnel from the Texas National Guard and state troopers. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like [Click Here] 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software Esseps Learn More Undo Abbott declared a state of disaster for several counties in the Hill Country region, located about 70 miles north of San Antonio. On Saturday, he expanded the declaration to include additional counties affected by the flooding and formally requested federal assistance through a signed disaster declaration. W Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas division of emergency management, said Saturday afternoon that authorities are still "actively searching" for survivors, although he acknowledged that the mission "will turn into recovery at some point." "When you talk to the men and women that are up there in those helicopters and out in those boats and walking the ground, they're looking for live people right now and doing everything they can to continue to search as fast as possible," Kidd said at a press conference. Governor Abbott, also speaking at the briefing, emphasized that he has directed all state agencies involved in the efforts to "assume everybody missing is alive" and stressed that "every minute counts." More than 850 people have been rescued so far, many with the help of helicopters, according to officials. Texas authorities also stated that several flood-affected areas are still experiencing power and internet outages.
