#US# US Flash Flood# flash flood# US County#Kerr County#US Climate Disaster
IBNS-CMEDIA: At least 24 people died after a severe flash flood hit Kerr County in the US state of Texas on Friday.
The death toll was earlier put at 13.
According to the official website of Kerr County, 23 to 25 girls are still unaccounted for from Camp Mystic, in addition to an unknown number of others individuals countywide.
“Most campers who were at any of the 18 various summer camps in Kerr County have been accounted for, evacuated and are in the process of being reunited with their parents,” the website said.
Owner of the camp dies
The co-owner of the Heart O’ the Hills, a girls camp in Hunt, Texas, died in the flash flood, an official announcement shared on the website said.
“We have received word that Jane Ragsdale did not make it. We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful,” the statement said.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said: “We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plane and whatever is needed is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person and assure everybody in this is going to be fully accountable.”
So far, 237 people have been rescued or evacuated after a flash flood hit the county.
Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, who thanked the many people responding, said: “We will not stop. We will rescue those in peril and find those that are missing.” He also asked everyone to please pray for our community. “This is a hard day, and there will be hard days to come.”
Meanwhile, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly signed a Declaration of Disaster early on July 4, amidst life-threatening severe weather and flooding.
Authorities have launched a massive effort to rescue those missing in the area.
