Number of missing in Texas floods dramatically drops to 3

(NewsNation) — The number of missing people in the central Texas area swept by July 4 flash floods has dramatically dropped from 160 to three, officials announced Saturday evening.

The Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center credited “extensive follow-up work” by state and local agencies for verifying that dozens of people who had been reported as missing in the hard-hit county are now categorized as “safe and removed from the list.”

“We are profoundly grateful to the more than 1,000 local, state, and federal authorities who have worked tirelessly in the wake of the devastating flood that struck our community,” Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a prepared statement. “Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three.”

Torrential rains that struck Texas Hill Country early on July 4 overwhelmed the Guadalupe River, which rapidly rose more than 20 feet and swept onto lower ground. The flooding stormed all-girls Camp Mystic, where at least 27 campers and counselors perished, in Kerr County.

The total number of people who died across a multi-county region is at least 135. It was not immediately known how many people are unaccounted for in counties other than Kerr, but recent media reports have suggested single digits, at most.

Kerr County officials did not offer details about the three people who are still considered unaccounted for in their jurisdiction.

“Our thoughts remain with the families still awaiting news, and we will continue to stand with them as efforts persist,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. said.