The death toll from the severe flooding in the US state of Texas has now risen to 67. Several people are still missing. There is still no trace of 11 children and a summer camp leader. Meanwhile, criticism of policymakers is growing.
3 days after the sudden flooding of the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, the death toll continues to rise. In the meantime, 59 bodies have been recovered in Kerr County, including 21 children. Authorities reported this today. With the deaths that also occurred outside Kerr County, the total number of fatalities is 67. The number is expected to rise, as many people are still missing.
It is not entirely clear how many people are still missing. What is clear is that they are still searching for 11 children and one leader from a summer camp that was affected by the rising water. Initially, 27 children from that camp were missing. It was a Christian camp for girls with over 700 participants, located on the banks of the river.
A 13-year-old girl rescued by emergency services told the AP news agency that the camp by the river had been thoroughly washed away. In the middle of the night, she woke up to the storm and saw water crashing against the windows of her hut. She was one of the older participants in the camp, who were staying on higher ground. The younger girls slept closer to the river.
