Authorities determined that three people are still missing from the floods, a sharp drop from the approximately 100 people authorities had previously said were unaccounted for.
The number of people missing in Texas Hill Country following the deadly flooding which struck the region over the Fourth of July holiday weekend has plummeted significantly, officials announced Saturday.
The Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center determined that three people are still missing from the floods, the city of Kerrville said in a news release. That is a sharp drop from the approximately 100 people authorities had previously said were unaccounted for.
„Through extensive follow-up work among state and local agencies, many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list“, the city said in its news release. „This has been an ongoing effort as investigators worked diligently to verify reports of missing persons and confirm their status.“
Kerrville is the county seat of Kerr County, which was hard-hit by the historic flooding. It is located about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.
„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 statement. „Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three.“
Recovery efforts for those missing are continuing along the Guadalupe River watershed, officials added, with local, state, federal and international search and rescue teams involved.
The flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. The Hill Country is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain.
