A race against the clock. Rescuers are occupied this Saturday, July 5 in Texas, in the United States, to find around thirty children who have been missing after violent floods the previous day. These floods, caused by torrential rains in the center of this state of the United States, left at least 27 dead, including nine children.
“So far we have found 27 deaths,” said the Sheriff of Kerr County, neighborhood, at a press conference, adding that there were 18 adults and nine minors.
Almost thirty children -27 more specifically, between the 750s participating in a Christian summer camp for girls on the shores of the Guadalupe River, they are still missing, according to the administrative manager of the city of Kerville, Dalton Rice.
Many parents have asked for helping photos of their children on social networks, reports CBS News.
“Every hour counts”
On the field, emergency services faced “very difficult” conditions on Saturday morning. “They will be in a plot of debris, with a very complicated configuration along the banks of the river,” said Dalton Rice.
“We will not stop as long as they have not all found,” said the Sheriff, claiming to have “all the necessary means.”
Around 500 rescuers and 14 helicopters were deployed, while the Texas National Guard and the Coast Guard sent reinforcements. According to our correspondent on the site, 850 people were evacuated this Saturday, during the night in Texas, and more than half were helicopters.
Texas Republican governor, Greg Abbott, said in X that it was “essential to continue research throughout the night” because “every hour counts.”
The latter announced Friday night that “he signed a disaster statement to ensure that local officials have all means to continue facing floods.”
President Donald Trump said in his social network of truth that his administration worked “with local and state authorities in Texas.”
“Our Secretary of Internal Security, Kristi Noem, will soon be in the place (…) Our brave rescuers are there and do what they can do better,” he said, saying “praying” with the first lady Melania “for all the families affected by this horrible tragedy.”
A new flood alert issued
According to the authorities, the Guadalupe River level increased approximately eight meters in 45 minutes, during which “almost 300 millimeters/rain hour fell, a third of the average annual precipitation of the county.
“It fell in one day what generally falls in a year,” said Gerardo Martínez, 61, a restorer whose establishment is close to a point of view in the river. “The water has reached the top of the trees,” he said, evoking “cars and whole houses sweeping” by the waves.
And the situation is likely to get worse. Meteorological services issued a new flood alert until 7 pm this Saturday (2 am in the morning, Paris time). New thunderstorms and new rainfall are expected in the next few hours.
In mid -June, 13 people had perished due to floods in San Antonio, not far from the affected area on Friday, after torrential rains.
Sudden floods, caused by torrential rains that dry soil cannot absorb, are not uncommon. But according to the scientific community, climate change caused by human activity has made meteorological events more frequent and more intense, such as floods, droughts and heat waves.
Source: BFM TV
