A state of catastrophe has been declared in Kerr County within the US state of Texas, after “catastrophic” flooding killed at the very least 13 folks and left many extra lacking, authorities confirmed Friday.
The flooding started late Thursday and continued into the early hours of Friday, as heavy rains engulfed the Guadalupe River, pushing it to a crest of greater than 39 ft (11.8 meters), surpassing the area’s second-largest trendy flood in 1987.
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the deaths at a news convention.
Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick mentioned that about 20 folks had been nonetheless unaccounted for, many from Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer season camp.
Describing it as a “catastrophic level” of flooding, Patrick confirmed that “hundreds of people,” together with at the very least 14 helicopters and 12 drones, had been on the bottom conducting search and rescue operations.
The catastrophe declaration, signed by County Judge Rob Kelly, acknowledged the flooding brought on “widespread and severe damage, injury and loss of life,” and there stays “an imminent threat of doing more of the same.”
The county’s Fourth of July celebrations had been canceled, as floodwaters submerged parks and compelled evacuations of households alongside the river.
Residents had been urged to shelter in place and transfer to greater floor in the event that they had been close to creeks or streams.
Source: www.anews.com.tr