The news emerged yesterday as search crews rushed to rescue survivors in Central Texas following intense rain leading to catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River. Reports indicate that the death toll has tragically reached 80, with at least 28 of the deceased being children, the youngest victims reportedly from a camp where ten girls are still unaccounted for.
As communities grapple with this disaster, what started as a routine weather forecast quickly escalated. The first flash flood warning was issued late Thursday night, and just hours later, authorities advised residents and campers to seek higher ground, as the river surged by 22 feet in just three hours.
Experts have raised concerns over the National Weather Service's response, noting that critical positions in local offices were unfilled, which may have hampered effective emergency communication. The implications of climate change are also under scrutiny, with scientists pointing out that increasingly severe rain events like this are occurring more frequently as global temperatures rise.
With continued rain forecasted for the upcoming days, officials are bracing for further flash flooding and continuing their search for the many still missing in this ongoing crisis.
As communities grapple with this disaster, what started as a routine weather forecast quickly escalated. The first flash flood warning was issued late Thursday night, and just hours later, authorities advised residents and campers to seek higher ground, as the river surged by 22 feet in just three hours.
Experts have raised concerns over the National Weather Service's response, noting that critical positions in local offices were unfilled, which may have hampered effective emergency communication. The implications of climate change are also under scrutiny, with scientists pointing out that increasingly severe rain events like this are occurring more frequently as global temperatures rise.
With continued rain forecasted for the upcoming days, officials are bracing for further flash flooding and continuing their search for the many still missing in this ongoing crisis.
