As rescue and reunification operations continue, the identities of victims in the deadly flooding in Texas’ Hill Country have been released by their families.
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice told reporters during a press conference on Saturday morning that 27 people are dead, 18 of them adults and nine children.
“Six adults and 1 child are currently unidentified,” an updated post on Facebook from the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased and their loved ones. We are working hard to locate anyone who is still missing and ensure they are safe.”
It is unclear exactly how many people are missing, but more than 20 campers are believed to be missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp, Rice said.
Newsweek has reached out to family and employers for some victims via email and on Facebook on Saturday.
Why It Matters
Months’ worth of rainfall fell within just a few hours in Texas’ Hill Country on Friday, overwhelming riverfront communities and forcing emergency teams to evacuate children’s summer camps threatened by rising water.
In central Kerr County, up to 10 inches of rain inundated the area overnight, causing the Guadalupe River to swell rapidly and overflow its banks, sparking widespread flash flooding.
Thousands of personnel have been deployed in a 24/7 operations to rescue those swept away by the floods along the river.
The area devastated by the floods sits about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.
At least 850 uninjured people and eight injured people have been rescued as of Saturday morning, according to a post from the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office.
Who Are the Victims?
At least one girl from Camp Mystic, 9-year-old Janie Hunt, has died, CNN reported, citing a message from the girl’s mother sent to the outlet.
“We are just praying,” Janie’s mother told CNN on Friday before confirming her child’s death.
A nearby camp, Heart O’ The Hills, also suffered the loss of its director and co-owner, Jane Ragsdale, according to a statement from the camp on its website.
“We at the camp are stunned and deeply saddened by Jane’s death. She embodied the spirit of Heart O’ the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer,” the camp said in its statement.
It added: “The extent of damage to camp facilities is still being determined, but it is serious. Access to the site is difficult, and authorities are primarily focused on locating the missing and preventing further loss of life and property.”
Another victim, Katheryn Eads, was recovered, according to a post on Facebook from her mother, Elizabeth Moss Grover, The Washington Post reported.
“UPDATE ON KATHY! She was recovered this afternoon. God has her now. Thanks for all the prayers,” the updated post from Grover said.
Earlier, Grover posted that Kathy’s husband had been found alive. “Update! We are with Brian and he is okay physically. Kathy is still missing. We are at the reunification center waiting on news. Thank you all for the prayers,” the post said.
The Washington Post reported that Eads had previously worked at the company Olive Branch Counseling and Training, based in Texas.
The company’s owner, Amy Hutchinson, told the newspaper in an email, “Katheryn was a hope and a light to all who knew her.”
How to Report a Missing Person
A shelter has opened in Kerrville for those needing assistance at First United Methodist Church, located at 321 Thompson Drive, the sheriff’s office said in a post.
For those that want to report a missing person, there are two options, phone and email. The information can be called in at 830.258.1111 or emailed at [email protected].
The information about the missing will be shared with relief and incident managers, the post said.
The post added that those submitting emails are asked to “include last known location and identifying details.”
What People Are Saying
Amy Hutchinson, former coworker of Katheryn Eads, told The Washington Post in an email: “A daughter, a wife, a mother, grandmother, friend and colleague. She was a stellar counselor and professor and she simply just made everything better. Katheryn was changing lives.”
The Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on Facebook: “Our first responders along have been working tirelessly and will continue to conduct search and rescue operations until everyone is accounted for.”
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Saturday: “The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday. Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”
What Happens Next?
Multiple local, state and federal agencies are continuing to search for survivors among the flood debris.
A reunification center has also been opened for families seeking their loved ones following the floods.
At least two more press conferences are expected with updates from officials on the ongoing operations in Texas.
Those who want to help are encouraged to go to the Kerrville City Facebook page for more information.
The post Texas Deadly Floods: Who Are the Victims? appeared first on Newsweek.
