Search and cleanup efforts continued Sunday at a central Texas campsite devastated by severe flooding, marking one of the United States' deadliest disasters this year.
Early Friday morning, hours of torrential rain triggered flash floods that surged the Guadalupe River from 2.3 meters to a staggering nine meters within three hours, its second-highest level on record, according to the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS).
Nearly 80 people have died, with the hardest-hit area of Kerr County reporting 68 fatalities, including 21 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha confirmed. With more than 40 still missing, the disaster has left the south-central U.S. state reeling in shock and grief.
On Sunday, a China Media Group (CMG) reporter arrived at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, encountering splintered trees, battered homes, and floodwaters stretching across over 10 kilometers of the Guadalupe River’s banks. Meanwhile, emergency responders and cleanup crews pressed on, searching for items and clearing debris.
The camp, located in a low-lying area, had not seen flooding of this magnitude in decades. Tragically, many students were asleep in dormitories when the waters struck, compounding the catastrophe.
By Sunday morning, main roads along the riverbank were largely cleared, while engineering teams raced to restore power and communication facilities.
Highlighting the emotional toll of the tragedy, flood rescue volunteer Alvi Santos stressed the need for more recovery resources.
"There were just kids, and their parents certainly deserve to know what happened to them. My girlfriend's sister is nine years old, and thats pretty much is how old these girls were. And I can only imagine what that feels like, and these parents deserve to know what happened to them. I know they have sonar that can scan the bottom. I don't want to put any bad place in any body's head, but we have to recover somebody. But I really feel like we need more equipment out here to move out this rubble because somebody could be clinging on for life, trapped, or gone," said Santos.
Search and rescue teams are working across 12 counties in what officials are labeling the state's deadliest flood disaster in decades.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott assured the public in a Saturday news conference that the state is doing everything in its power to locate the missing.
Search, cleanup efforts intensify at Texas floods' worst-hit campsite
Search, cleanup efforts intensify at Texas floods' worst-hit campsite
Search, cleanup efforts intensify at Texas floods' worst-hit campsite
