Texas Governor Greg Abbott delivered a sobering update Tuesday, announcing that 161 people remain missing in Kerr County alone, with another 12 unaccounted for statewide, following the catastrophic July 4th flooding.
The updated numbers mark a sharp jump from earlier reports that placed the total missing at just 40. As of Monday, the statewide death toll reached 109, including dozens of children.
“More Fatalities Than Hurricane Harvey”
Speaking from Hunt, Texas, in Kerr County, Governor Abbott emphasized the magnitude of the disaster:
“To put this into perspective … there are far more fatalities than there were in Hurricane Harvey. That’s how catastrophic this is.”
Abbott promised the state would not stop until every missing person is found:
“Know this: We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for… There very likely could be more added to that list.”
Camp Mystic: A Tragedy Still Unfolding
The flooding hit Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp, with horrifying force after the Guadalupe River rose more than 30 feet in under an hour.
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Five campers and one counselor remain missing
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27 girls and counselors have been confirmed dead
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The camp’s youngest victims include girls as young as 8 years old
Among the missing and confirmed dead are:
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Renee Smajstrla (8)
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Eloise Peck (8)
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Blair (11) and Brooke Harber (13), sisters found holding rosaries 15 miles downstream
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Sherry Richardson (64), whose cabin was swept away in Liberty Hill
Heroes Amid Tragedy
Amid the heartbreak, stories of heroism have emerged.
Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan is credited with saving 165 people, most of them children, during the height of the flooding.
Emergency crews have rescued at least 850 people across the state, but as each day passes, hope fades for those still unaccounted for.
“The primary job right now continues to be locating everybody who was affected by this flood,” Abbott said.
