At least 13 people have died in Kerr County, Texas, following catastrophic flooding and severe weather that swept through the state, officials confirmed on Friday.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, currently acting as governor, said the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet within 45 minutes, leading to widespread destruction. Approximately 20 children are reported missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp with 700 attendees. Patrick noted the children may be out of communication rather than lost.
Flash flooding prompted disaster declarations across the Hill Country and Concho Valley regions. Authorities reported several people missing, with ongoing rescue and evacuation operations amid warnings of further flash floods after the area received several months’ worth of rain in just hours.
Governor Greg Abbott assured residents of full state support, while officials urged people to avoid flooded roads and seek higher ground. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring stated that the county had no early warning system to predict the devastation.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey, three people died after trees fell on their vehicles during thunderstorms, including a 79-year-old man, a 25-year-old man, and a 44-year-old woman. Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp described the tragedy as “a sobering reminder of the power of nature and the fragility of life.”
