Flash flood in Texas: Death toll continues to rise

Flooding in the U.S. state of Texas is becoming increasingly dramatic. According to authorities, the number of confirmed deaths has risen to around 80 people. Kerr County is the worst affected, with 68 fatalities, including 28 children, according to the sheriff's office on Sunday.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said 41 people are still missing across the state. Many adults, especially in the area around the small town of Kerrville, were camping near the water and had arrived in RVs. The full extent of the disaster is therefore not yet clear, and the search for missing people is ongoing, so the number could rise, authorities said.

While authorities began cleanup efforts in some areas on Sunday, the weather service warned of thunderstorms that could trigger further flash floods.

Christian summer camp destroyed

Among the missing were ten girls and a counselor from the Christian summer camp "Camp Mystic." A total of 750 people had attended the camp, located directly on the Guadalupe River. The search for survivors continued on Sunday with around 17 helicopters and hundreds of rescue personnel deployed.

Local residents also used boats on the water and along the riverbanks to search for known or unknown victims and survivors. One volunteer reported finding one of the girls from the summer camp dead in a tree. "We want to help the families find closure," he said. "That's why we're here."

Governor Abbott visited the flooded Camp Mystic on Saturday. On Platform X, he wrote that he was "shocked" by the extent of the destruction. Water reached the roofs of the cabins. "We will not stop until we find all the girls who were in those cabins," Abbott said.

Flash floods are not uncommon - intensity is

On Friday, the level of the Guadalupe River rose by eight meters in just 45 minutes. The flooding on the US Independence Day was triggered by heavy rainfall of up to 300 liters per square meter. This corresponds to about a third of the average annual rainfall in the region.

The affected region in central and south Texas is known as "Flash Flood Alley"—an area regularly affected by sudden flash floods. The cause is usually heavy rainfall that the dry ground cannot absorb. However, scientists warn that climate change is significantly increasing the frequency and intensity of such extreme weather events.

ch/fab (afp, dpa)