Rescue crews combed devastated riverbanks and turned over debris Saturday in a desperate search for more than two dozen missing children from a girls’ camp, along with other individuals unaccounted for after a powerful flash flood tore through the Texas Hill Country.
At least 27 people, including nine children, have been confirmed dead.Before dawn on Friday, a sudden surge of floodwater caused by torrential rain sent the river rising 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes. The raging current swept away homes, vehicles, and campsites, leaving a trail of destruction and chaos. Efforts to locate survivors and victims continued under dangerous conditions, with helicopters, boats, and drones deployed to scour the area and reach those stranded in trees or trapped by washed-out roads.
“This will be a very difficult day,” warned Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. “Please keep our community in your prayers. ”Heavy rains persisted across the region on Saturday, keeping flash flood warnings in effect and hampering rescue operations in the flood-ravaged communities outside San Antonio.
