Texas: More than 100 dead, dozens missing in devastating floods

The death toll from the catastrophic flooding that swept through the US state of Texas has risen to at least 104, as intensive searches continue for dozens of missing people, including many children who were staying at summer camps at the time of the disaster during the Fourth of July holiday.

Continuous coverage on the Arab48 website's Telegram channel.

Local authorities reported that Kerr County in the Texas Hill Country, where the Guadalupe River flows, was the hardest hit, with 84 deaths, including 28 children. They also reported the disappearance of 27 participants and supervisors at the Mystic Christian Girls Camp, 11 of whom remain missing.

Emergency agencies confirmed that heavy rains caused the Guadalupe River to rise by nearly 8 meters in just 45 minutes, triggering flash floods that swept through campsites overnight, destroying cabins, uprooting trees, and sweeping away vehicles while children slept.

The Meteorological Authority warned of the possibility of renewed flooding as rain continues to fall on waterlogged ground, further complicating rescue operations involving more than 1,750 emergency teams using helicopters, boats, paramedics, and search dogs.

For his part, US President Donald Trump described the disaster as "unprecedented in a century," declaring a major disaster to activate federal aid.

In contrast, White House spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt rejected accusations that the administration's cuts had affected the performance of meteorological agencies, while the National Weather Service confirmed that it had issued accurate and timely warnings.

However, many residents expressed anger at the weakness of the warning systems, and the families of the victims demanded the establishment of a modern warning network to protect areas prone to recurrent flooding.

Meanwhile, hundreds of local volunteers participated in search and rescue efforts despite authorities' warnings of the dangers. One volunteer said, "I can't sit at home. We're doing what we can. That's Texas."

Nineteen local and state agencies are participating in the search, which covers approximately 100 kilometers along the Guadalupe River, using a fine-mesh grid to divide the area into sectors, each of which takes between one and three hours to search.

As hopes of finding survivors fade, scenes of grief, prayer, and protests continue in the affected areas, while authorities indicate more than 40 additional unconfirmed deaths in other counties in south-central Texas.