Today's Edition
HUNT, US (AFP)
Hundreds of rescuers on Tuesday continued their search for people swept away by catastrophic Texas floods that killed more than 100 people, officials said, amid threats of more heavy rain.
As of Tuesday morning, authorities in worst-hit Kerr County had recovered the bodies of 87 victims, Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters.
The deceased include at least 27 girls and counselors who were staying at a youth summer camp on the Guadalupe River over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
“At present, five Camp Mystic campers and one counselor still remain unaccounted for,” Leitha added.
At least 108 flood-related deaths were reported across central Texas, according to local officials.
During a Cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump said he would travel to Texas with First Lady Melania Trump on Friday, and credited his strong ties with the state's Republican governor as having helped the rescue effort.
“We brought in a lot of helicopters from all over... They were real pros, and they were responsible for pulling out a lot of people. And we got them there fast, and Texas had some good ones too, but the response was incredible,” Trump said.
Trump, who previously said that disaster relief should be handled at the state level, earlier this week signed a major disaster declaration, activating fresh federal funds and freeing up resources.
Officials warned that with more heavy rain forecast, recovery efforts would be rendered even more difficult.
