Texas Floods: Death Toll Rises to 80, Including Nearly 30 Children, as Search and Rescue Continues

Devastating Texas Floods

• ⚠️ The death toll in Texas floods has risen to at least 80 people, with nearly 30 of those being children.
• 🔍 Search and rescue operations are ongoing, but hampered by the expectation of more rain this week.

Catastrophic River Rise

• 🌊 Heavy rain on Friday caused the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in 45 minutes, reaching near historic levels.
• ⚡ The rapid rise of the river created a catastrophic force of nature, with witnesses describing water sweeping away everything within minutes.

Impact on Camp Mystic

• 🏕️ An all-girls Christian camp, Camp Mystic, located on the Guadalupe River, was severely impacted.
• 💔 Of the 750 girls and counselors at the camp, at least 11 are confirmed dead, including a nine-year-old and an eighteen-year-old counselor.

Federal Response and Future Concerns

• 🚁 FEMA and the Coast Guard are on the ground and in the air, utilizing technology like infrared cameras for search efforts.
• 🚨 Texas Governor Greg Abbott noted that flash flood warnings were issued two days prior, but the scale of the flooding was unexpected.
• 🏛️ President Trump has signed a major disaster declaration, though questions remain about FEMA's future as the President has previously discussed phasing it out.
• 📅 The President may visit Texas on Friday to assess the damage.