United States: Texas floods: Nearly 110 dead, rescuers search for more than 160 missing

Rescue teams continued their search in Texas on Tuesday in trying conditions , even as hopes faded of finding survivors five days after floods killed nearly 110 people.

Kerr County alone, the hardest-hit county, reported 87 deaths, including 30 children, County Sheriff Larry Leitha announced at a press conference Tuesday morning. In total, at least 108 flood-related deaths have been reported in the central part of the state, according to authorities.

Among the victims were 27 children and counselors from the Christian girls' camp Camp Mystic, on the banks of the Guadalupe River, which hosted some 750 people. "At this time, five campers from Camp Mystic and one counselor remain missing," Leitha added.

More than 160 missing

The death toll is expected to rise further, with at least 161 people still missing as of Tuesday, the state governor announced.

"In Kerr County alone, 161 people are considered missing," Governor Greg Abbott said at a news conference, adding that the figure was based on the number of people reported missing by friends, relatives and neighbors.

Rescuers' mentality affected

Helicopters, drones and dog teams are still working, said Lt. Col. Ben Baker of the Texas Game Warden Corps, despite the difficult conditions.

"Going deep into the piles (of debris) is very dangerous," he explained. "It's dirty, the water is still there," he added, also highlighting the impact the tragedy had on the rescuers' mental health. "It's tragic to witness the loss of a human life. But seeing that it's a child who lost their life is extremely difficult," he stressed during the press conference.

Because hopes of finding survivors are now slim, five days after the flash flood that hit this tourist area on Friday, in the middle of the long weekend. "As far as I know, the last rescue (...) was made on Friday," said Jonathan Lamb of the Kerrville police.

In the town of Hunt, the epicenter of the disaster, search teams are sifting through mud and piles of debris, while helicopters are circling overhead, AFP reported. Javier Torres, 24, is digging through the mud looking for his grandmother's body after locating the remains of his grandfather and two children who were staying with her.

Controversy over budget cuts

Central Texas was no longer under flood warnings on Tuesday, but "isolated episodes of heavy rainfall are possible," the weather service warned. "I know people are getting tired, but they're getting reinforcements, and volunteers are showing up," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem assured during the cabinet meeting in Washington.

US President Donald Trump confirmed that he would visit the disaster site on Friday, accompanied by his wife, Melania. On Monday, the White House rebuffed criticism that budget cuts to the National Weather Service had undermined the reliability of forecasts and warnings.

Water levels rise by eight meters in 45 minutes

“Blaming President Trump for these floods is a heinous lie, which makes no sense during this time of national mourning,” said spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt. She said the National Weather Service (NWS) had issued “timely and accurate forecasts and warnings.” An alert was issued shortly after 1 a.m., but many residents were asleep or had turned off their phones.

The flash floods were caused by torrential rains early Friday, which caused the Guadalupe River to rise eight meters in just 45 minutes. Nearly 300 millimeters of rain fell per hour, a third of the average annual rainfall.