Everything we know about Texas floods that have killed at least 121 as Trump arrives at disaster site

15 hours ago 5

President Donald Trump touched down successful Texas contiguous (11 July) to survey the harm which the deadly flash floods near successful their wake.

As the remainder of the federation enjoyed 4th July celebrations a week ago, the US authorities was plunged into situation pursuing a spate of heavy rain, which caused the Guadalupe River to burst its banks.

It resulted successful severe floods, which yet outgo 121 radical their lives - portion much than 170 locals are inactive unaccounted for, 7 days on.

Trump has headed to Texas alongside his woman Melania to conscionable with survivors, exigency responders and apical authorities officials, earlier touring immoderate of the hardest-hit areas by air.

Here's the latest connected the fearfulness flooding.

What happened past week?

The Guadalupe River roseate by 26ft successful little than an hour, US officials said (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

In the aboriginal hours of 4 July, torrential rainfall triggered the catastrophic flooding successful the authorities of Texas.

Officials said the Guadalupe River - which runs from Kerr County to San Antonio Bay connected the Gulf Coast - roseate by arsenic overmuch arsenic 26ft successful immoderate places successful little than an hour.

Locals were told to determination to higher crushed arsenic a substance of urgency arsenic the floodwater began wreaking havoc connected section communities.

Dozens of children astatine a adjacent Christian summertime camp, Camp Mystic, sadly mislaid their lives, arsenic did the proprietor portion helium desperately tried to assistance his guests.

On Thursday (10 July), authorities successful Kerr County said that 96 radical had died successful the country - 60 adults and 36 children - portion different 161 remained missing.

Five campers and 1 counsellor are among those who inactive person not been found.

Bodies were besides recovered crossed the Hill Country area, which was besides location to respective children's summertime camps, aft the destructive partition of h2o washed done the state.

But the devastation dispersed acold and wide, spanning respective 100 miles crossed cardinal Texas, each the mode to conscionable extracurricular the superior of Austin.

What's happening now?

More than 120 are dormant and implicit 170 stay missing 1 week connected (Eric Vryn/Getty Images)

Mammoth hunt efforts stay ongoing for the 170 radical who person inactive not been recovered pursuing the fearfulness floods.

More than 2,100 archetypal responders from local, authorities and national agencies are progressive successful the betterment mission, which is 1 of the largest hunt operations Texas has ever seen.

Crews are navigating the waterlogged areas successful airboats, helicopters and connected horseback, portion hundreds of volunteers are besides doing their bit.

Tragically, galore bodies person already been recovered too.

State officials suggested that immoderate missing victims could beryllium buried nether the immense piles of debris which agelong for miles.

Texas politician Greg Abbott said earlier this week: "Know this: We volition not halt until each missing idiosyncratic is accounted for. Know this also: There precise apt could beryllium much added to that list."

Survivors successful the worst affected areas are trying to portion unneurotic what small is near of their homes and livelihoods.

What has Trump said?

Trump and Melania arrived successful Texas connected Friday (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President Trump granted Texas’ petition to widen the large catastrophe declaration beyond Kerr County, to see 8 further counties.

This means that these areas volition besides beryllium eligible for nonstop financial assistance to retrieve and rebuild.

Today, the commander-in-chief volition beryllium briefed by officials successful Kerr County, conscionable survivors and relatives of victims, and instrumentality an aerial circuit to measure the devastation from above.

Governor Abbott said of Trump's effect to the floods: "He could not halt talking astir however bittersweet helium was for each the small girls who person mislaid their lives."

Before boarding the statesmanlike level to caput to Texas, the President relayed his fearfulness astatine the concern to reporters.

"It's a horrible thing, a horrible thing," Trump said. "Nobody tin adjacent judge it, specified a happening that overmuch h2o that fast, without a dam break...

"But we're going to beryllium determination with immoderate of the large families and others, the governor, everybody."

Kerr County Commissioner and unpaid firefighter Jeff Holt said helium hopes the absorption of Trump's sojourn is centred connected 'how we responded and what we’re going to bash successful the future'.

"In the future, we’re going to fig retired however we get a small amended astatine what we do," Holt added, portion suggesting the authorities needs a 'better aboriginal informing system' successful the lawsuit of this benignant of earthy disaster.

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