Fears grow that Texas floods death could be increased with over 160 reported missing

• Central Texas workers continue to comb through piles of muddy fragments.
• Death rises to 119 with over 160 people still mentioned.
• The tragedy “as horrible as it is, could be so worse,” the official says.

Hunt: The death of Texas Flash Floods increased to 119 on Wednesday, as concerns grew that the number could be more than doubled with over 160 people still missing.

Central Texas workers continued to comb the piles of muddy debris from the July 4 floods, as governor Greg Abbott ordered the flags to reduce half staff above the tragedy.

Employees in the Kerr County, the center of floods, confirmed on Wednesday that 161 people were known to be missing in the county.

Part of a Hill Country area in Central Texas, known as “Flash Flood Alley”, Kerr County suffered most of the damage, with at least 95 deaths, including 36 children, to journalists in Sheriff Larry Leitha.

Among them, the consultants and the 27 girls in a summer camp that disappeared early on Friday, when the Guadalupe River broke its banks.

Five campers and a consultant from Camp Mystic were still missing on Wednesday, along with another camp -related child, Leitha said.

Two dozen other people have been confirmed dead elsewhere in the state, according to one AFP correspond to official reports.

More than 2,000 rescue personnel, police and experts went down to the flood zone in what Leitha described as “all hands on deck” as a function.

Ben Baker, with Wardens Game Texas, said that search and rescue efforts for helicopters, aircraft and dogs were difficult due to water, mud and debris.

“When we try to make these recoveries, these big piles can be very obstructive and get deep into these piles, they are very dangerous,” Baker said.

Meanwhile, the questions were intensified about whether governmental funding cuts by US President Donald Trump had weakened the warning systems during the handling of the rescue operation.

During the sometimes tense news interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday, officials contained questions about the speed of emergency response.

“There will be a review after action” about what happened, Sherif said Littha, adding “these questions must be answered”.

However, officials stressed that the immediate focus was on identifying the missing families and reconnected.

‘Door to door’

Kerrville police officer Jonathan Lamb talked about heroic rescues from the authorities and volunteers who were evacuated by hundreds of people from their homes or vehicles.

The officers went “from door to door, waking people up to the Kerr County early Friday and in some cases” pulling them out of windows “of floods and trailer, Lamb to reporters.

The tragedy, “as scary as it is, could be so worse,” he added.

The National Meteorological Service (NWS) has predicted scattered storms on Wednesday in the hill country, including isolated pockets of heavy rain.

In the neighboring state of New Mexico, Flash Flooding left three people dead on Tuesday at Ruidoso, the village’s website said in a statement, adding that the Ruidoso river increased in a 20 -foot record (six meters).

Mud bodies

In the city of Texas, a AFP The team saw the recovery workers combing with helicopters flying over the head.

Javier Torres, 24, digs through the mud as he was looking for his grandmother after finding his grandfather’s body.

He also discovered the bodies of two children, apparently washed by the river.

Trump is going to visit Texas on Friday with First Mrs. Melania Trump.

“We brought a lot of helicopters everywhere … They were real professionals and were responsible for removing many people,” Trump said of the answer.

Shel Winkley, a weather expert in the central climate research group, accused the extent of the disaster in geography and excellent drought when dry soil absorbs less rainfall.

“This part of Texas, at least in the flood of the Kerr County in particular, was at excellent to excellent drought …. We know that in May, temperatures were above average,” Winkley told reporters.