15 Children Among 43 Dead In Texas Flash Floods; PM Modi Expresses Condolences
At least 43 people, including 15 children, have been killed in catastrophic flash floods that have devastated parts of central Texas, US officials confirmed on Saturday. A massive search and rescue operation is underway, with a primary focus on locating 27 girls who were swept away when their summer camp was inundated.
The disaster unfolded on Friday morning in Kerr County after an unexpected and ferocious storm dumped up to 15 inches of rain in just a few hours. The deluge caused the Guadalupe River to surge by a staggering 26 feet in 45 minutes, creating a wall of water that destroyed homes, flipped cars, and washed away entire sections of the landscape.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his grief over the tragedy. “Deeply saddened to learn about the loss of lives, especially children in the devastating floods in Texas. Our condolences to the US Government and the bereaved families,” he posted on X on Saturday.
Rescue teams are navigating through a treacherous terrain of muddy debris and broken trees, using helicopters, boats, and drones to search for survivors. More than 850 people have been rescued so far, many found stranded in trees or on rooftops. The death toll includes 28 adults and 15 children in the hard-hit Hill Country, with additional fatalities reported in Travis, Kendall, and Burnet counties. A firefighter who was trying to help with a rescue in Burnet County was also swept away and is currently missing.
US Secretary for Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, admitted that the “moderate” flood warning issued by the National Weather Service had failed to predict the storm’s true intensity. She said the Trump administration was working to improve the early warning system.
With more heavy rain falling in the region on Saturday, flash flood warnings and alerts remained in place, posing a continued threat to residents and complicating the ongoing search and rescue efforts.
