US President Trump says it is likely he will visit Texas on Friday – one week after heavy rain swept many to their deaths within a matter of minutes, as ITV News’ Leyla Hayes reports
The death toll from the devastating flash floods that hit Texas over the weekend has risen to 91 as officials warn of more torrential rain on the way.
Among the dead are 27 girls and counsellors who were staying at a summer camp in one of the worst-hit regions.
In a statement on their website, the operators of Camp Mystic, located in the Texas Hill Country, said they are “grieving the loss” of those who have died.
They added they are in communication with local authorities who are continuing to search for “missing girls.”
The risk of flooding persists in already saturated areas of central Texas, as additional rainfall is forecast for the region.
Rescue efforts have been increased in the region as authorities attempt to track down the dozens who are still unaccounted for.
Around 150 locals have also begun their own search and rescue efforts near the Guadalupe River after authorities refused their help, the Associated Press reported.
Several rare flash flood warnings remain in place in the region.
A timelapse video from Friday shows how quickly the floodwaters rose, with the Llano River surging to deadly levels in the space of just 20 minutes
How did the tragedy unfold?
On Thursday, the US National Weather Service advised of potential flooding.
In the early hours of Friday, a series of flash flood warnings were issued. These were then upgraded to flash flood emergencies – a rare alert notifying of imminent danger.
Over an entire summer’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours on Friday morning, triggering flash floods that surged the Guadalupe River from 2.3 meters to a staggering nine meters within three hours, its second-highest level on record according to the US weather monitors.
At Camp Mystic in Kerr County, a low-lying area, some 750 girls were asleep in dormitories when the water struck.
The camp sustained significant damage; some cabins were swept away in the floodwaters.
“There was nowhere for these kids to go. The buildings were washed out, just carved out from the inside,” said Nick Sorter, a member of the United Cajun Navy, a volunteer rescue group from Louisiana.
Elsewhere in Kerr County, houses were demolished and trees pulled from their roots as the water surged.
Sixty-eight people have been found so far by Kerr County search and rescue services, including 28 children.
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Officials say more than 850 people were rescued in the 36 hours after the river’s banks burst.
This included a cabin full of girls at Camp Mystic, who held onto a rope strung by rescuers as they walked across a bridge with water whipping around their legs.
Residents of Kerr County have been clearing mud and salvaging what they can from their demolished properties.
Survivors shared terrifying stories of being swept away and clinging to trees as rampaging floodwaters carried trees and cars past them. Others fled to attics, praying the water wouldn’t reach them.
Authorities and elected officials said they did not expect such an intense downpour, the equivalent of months’ worth of rain for the area.
They face growing questions about whether enough warnings were issued in the area which is known to be a flood risk, and whether enough preparations were made.
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said authorities are committed to a full review of the emergency response.
President Donald Trump has signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he would visit later this week.
Leavitt called what happened a “once in a generation national disaster” and urged “everyone in the area to remain vigilant, listen to all warnings and respond accordingly.”
The Texas governor warned that additional rounds of heavy rains lasting into Tuesday could produce more life-threatening flooding, especially in places already saturated.
What is Texas Hill Country, and why is it so prone to flooding?
Texas Hill Country is known for its beautiful landscapes, where shallow rivers wind among hills and through rugged valleys.
That geography also makes it one of the deadliest places in the US for flash flooding.
Texas leads the US in flood deaths; more than 1,000 people have died from flooding in the state over the last six decades.
Many of those deaths have been in Texas Hill Country, also known as Flash Flood Alley, an area of land that curves from near Dallas down to San Antonio and then westward.
It’s also where Kerr County is located.
The hills are steep, and the water moves quickly when it floods. It is also a semi-arid area that is experiencing some of the worst drought in the United States, leading to bone-dry soil.
The soil doesn’t soak up much water, so rain will quickly run off, causing creeks to rise quickly.
When those creeks converge on a river, they can create a surge of water that wipes away anything in its path.
In 1987, heavy rain in western Kerr County quickly flooded the Guadalupe River, triggering a flash flood that swept a church bus away, killing 10 children.
San Antonio, at the eastern edge of Hill Country, was hit with a flash flood in June that killed 13 people, after their cars were swept away by high water from a fast-flooding creek.
Extreme flooding is happening more frequently as the world warms and the atmosphere can hold more moisture.
Texas has already seen multiple dangerous flooding events this year, and the United States overall saw a record number of flash flood emergencies last year.
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