President Donald Trump has spoken out after flooding in Texas has left several people dead and nearly two dozen girls missing.
On Friday (July 4), the Guadalupe River in Kerr County surged more than 20 feet in just 90 minutes during an early morning rainstorm.
The flood swept away cabins at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp that hosts girls aged seven to 17.
While most campers were evacuated, between 23 and 25 girls remain unaccounted for, with parents rushing to the river’s edge in search of any word about their children.
According to Sky News, officials confirmed that 237 people have been rescued so far, including 167 by helicopter, but many remain missing amid the devastation.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly has shared that there was no warning before the flooding struck. “We didn’t know this flood was coming. Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming,” adding that the area has no warning system, BBC News reported.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster for several of the hardest-hit counties in central Texas: Bandera, Comal, Concho, Gillespie, Kendall, Kerr, Kimball, Llano, Mason, McCullough, Menard, Reeves, San Saba, and Tom Green.
It will ensure the counties “are going to have access to every tool, strategy, personnel that the state of Texas can provide to them, which will be limitless,” he said, per CNN, adding: “We will stop at nothing to ensure that every asset and person and plan, whatever is needed, is going to be involved in the process of rescuing every last person.”
As the scale of the tragedy became clear, President Donald Trump described the situation as “terrible” and “shocking,” confirming the federal government will coordinate with Governor Abbott to provide aid.
“They don’t know the answer yet as to how many people, but it looks like some young people have died,” the 79-year-old said while speaking from Air Force One.
When asked if the federal government would send support, he replied, “Oh yeah, we’ll take care of it. We’re working with the governor.”
First lady Melania Trump also spoke out, expressing her sympathy to the parents on her social media platform.
“My heart goes out to the parents in Texas during this difficult time,” she wrote. “I am holding you in my thoughts and sending prayers for strength, comfort, and resilience.”
Meanwhile, families have begun sharing the names of some of the missing girls in hopes of finding them alive: Hadley Hanna, eight, Lainey Landry, nine, Eloise Peck, Lila Bonner, Renee Smajstrla, Janie Hunt, Greta Toranzo, Kellyanne Lytal, and Virginia Hollis.
Camp Mystic has advised parents that if they have not been contacted directly, they should assume their daughters are safe, but officials caution that rescue efforts are ongoing.
