Police in Kerr County, Texas reported that as of the morning of the 9th Central Time, flooding in central Texas has led to at least 119 deaths. With search efforts continuing, the death toll is expected to rise further.
Kerr County Sheriff Leitha said on the 9th that at least 161 people are missing locally, including five girls and a camp counselor who remain unaccounted for at the “Mystery Camp” on the banks of the Guadalupe River.
Texas Governor Abbott ordered all state flags to be flown at half-staff until sunrise on the 14th to mourn the flood victims.
The severity of the Texas floods has shocked the entire country. Currently, more and more Americans are questioning the weather forecasts, flood warnings, and the actions of federal and local governments in response to the disaster.
In addition, local officials in New Mexico said on the 9th that a village in the south-central part of the state was hit by a flash flood on the 8th, resulting in 3 deaths.
According to data from the U.S. National Weather Service, over the past decade, an average of 113 people per year have died in the U.S. due to floods, accounting for about one-sixth of all weather-related deaths.