At least 27 people killed in Texas floods as search continues

On Saturday, the crew searched for two dozen children from a girl camp in the dark, and during a powerful storm that killed at least 27 people, a water wall went down a river in Texas Hill country. It was certain that the death fee would rise.

Throughout the Guadalupee River, the destructive fast -moving waters rose 26 feet only 45 minutes before dawn on Friday, and washed their homes and vehicles. On Saturday, heavier rains were unexpected and the flash flood warnings and watches remained valid for parts of the centers of Texas.

Authorities are under an increasing examination as to whether the camp and others in the region have received an appropriate warning and whether sufficient preparation is made.

The callers used helicopters, boats and drones to search for victims and save people stranded. The total number of losses was unknown, but a sheriff said that about 24 was the girls who joined Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp, a Christian summer camp.

Crazy parents and families said that they were pleased with their loved ones and pleasure for information.

“The camp was completely destroyed,” said Elinor Lester, 13 -year -old from hundreds of campers in Camp Mystic. “A helicopter landed and began to take people. He was really scary.”

Immediately after midnight Friday, he woke up his cabin, and when the savior arrived, they tied a rope to hold the girls as they crossed a flogged bridge around their legs.

At a press conference late on Friday, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said that 24 people were killed, including some children. Authorities said that approximately 240 people were rescued.

During the four July holiday, the flood in the middle of the night surprised many calm, campers and officials. Texas Hill Country, northwest of San Antonio, is a popular place for camping and swimming, especially during the summer holidays.

Acceweather said that the private estimation company and the National Weather Service sent warnings about potential flash floods hours before the destruction.

“These warnings should provide enough time to evacuate camps like Camp Mystic to the authorities and provide people with safety, Accuweather said in a statement called Texas Hill County and one of the most flash areas in the US due to many water transitions.

The authorities defended their actions on Friday and said that they did not expect such an intense downpour, which was the equivalent of rain worth months for the region.

Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Emergency Management Department, required rain up to six inches an estimated national weather service in the early hours of the week. “He didn’t predict the amount of rain we saw,” he said.

Helicopters, Lost

National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio Office and Meteorologist Bob Fogarty, Camp Mystic near a river Gauge in about two hours of 22 feet increased in about two hours. The indicator failed after recording 29 and a half fit level.

“The water is moving very quickly, you won’t notice how bad it is, Fogart said Fogarty.

More than 1,000 rescuers were in places. Rescue teams, helicopters and drones were used, some people were detached from trees. The US was flying to help the coast guard helicopters.

‘Black Death Wall’

In Ingram, Erin Burgess woke up to thunder and rain in the middle of Friday night. Only 20 minutes later, he said he poured water from the river to his house. With his young son, he described a painful clock clinging to a tree and waited for the water to retreat enough to walk from the top to security.

“Fortunately, 6 feet lengths. This is the only thing that saved me, it was hanging out,” he said.

“My son and I swam on a tree we hung on, and my boyfriend and my dog ​​swam. He disappeared for a while, but we found them,” he said.

44 -year -old Matthew Stone from Kerrville said the police had knocked on the doors, but did not receive any warning on her phone.

“There was no emergency warning. There was nothing, Stone Stone said. Then “a pitch black wall of death.”

‘I was afraid of dying’

In a re -merger center in Ingram, families cried and cheered while getting rid of their beloved rescue tools. Two soldiers carried an elderly woman who could not go down the stairs. Behind him, a woman grasped a small white dog.

Later, a white “Camp Mystic” T -shirt and a white socks stood in a puddle and cried in his mother’s arms.

Barry Adelman said Water pushed everyone in his three -storey house, including his 94 -year -old grandmother and 9 -year -old grandson. Before the water was pulled, water began to come from the attic base.

“I was scared,” he said. “I had to look at my grandson on his face and tell him that everything was going to be in the way, but I was afraid of death inside.”

‘Nobody knew that such a flood came’

The weekend called for estimated rain, a flood time was upgraded to a night warning for at least 30,000 people on Friday.

Patrick from Texas lieutenant, heavy rain and flood potential covers a large area, he said.

“Everything was done to give them a head where you can rain, and we’re not exactly sure where to go down, P said Patrick said. “As we frankly got dark last night, we entered the morning of the clocks, then the storm began to reset.”

The elected official of the district Kerr District Judge Rob Kelly said: “We do not have a warning system.”

When he pushed more measures that no measures were taken, Kelly said that no one knew that such a flood came.

More heavy rain is expected

Jason Runen of the National Air Service is expected to bring more rain on Saturday with the pockets and more flood potential of the slow -moving storm stuck in Middle Texas.

The threat said he could distract it overnight and until Sunday morning.

Popular Tourism Area prone to floods

The area is known as “flash Flood Alley” due to the thin layer of soil of the hills.

“When it rains, the water does not get wet in the soil, Dick Dickson said. “He’s running down the hill.”

The river tourism industry is an important part of the country’s economy. Dickson said well -known, centuries -old summer camps brought children from all over the country.

“A very calm river with a really beautiful blue water that people usually suffered during generations, Dick said Dickson, Dickson said.

Seewer and Vertuno are written for Associated Press.