President Trump said that his administration is working with Texas state and local officials in response to fatal flash flooding as the death toll in the state has risen to 27.
“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,” Trump said in a Saturday post on Truth Social. “Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!”
The number of people who have died from the flooding, which began on Wednesday, has gone up to 27, according to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha. Among those are 18 adults and nine children. Of those, six adults and one child have not been identified.
Leitha added that authorities have recovered 850 uninjured people and eight injured people. The sheriff emphasized that the figures are official as of 8:55 a.m. local time and are changing “rapidly.”
“We are working hard to locate anyone who is still missing and to ensure they’re safe,” Leitha said at a press conference on Saturday.
Authorities are still searching for people caught up in the flooding, including at least 23 missing Camp Mystic campers.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said Saturday during the press conference that his family comes to the impacted area “virtually every year” for the Fourth of July.
“We know the stories of people that have been heroic in trying to make sure that the lives lost is at a minimum in trying to recover individuals,” Roy said.
Vice President Vance said Saturday that “our nation’s heart breaks for the victims in Texas and their families. Just an incomprehensible tragedy.”
“I hope everyone affected knows they’re in the prayers of my family, and of millions of Americans,’ the vice president added.
