Authorities Said 237 People Had Been Recued So Far, Including 167 by Helicopter.

Among the missing is more than 20 girls from a summer camp. Officials Say the Death Toll May Rise As Rescue Operations Continue. The area, known as “Flash Flood Alley,” is prone to sudden flooding due to its thin soil.

Months Worth of Heavy Rain Fell in a matter of hours on texas hill country, leaving at least 13 people dead and many more unaccounted for Friday, including about 20 girls at a summer campe, as search teams concept. And Helicopter Rescues in fast-moving floodwaters.

Desperate pleas peppered social media as loved ones sought any information about people caught in the flood zone. At last 10 inches (25 centimeters) of rain poured down overnight in central kerr county, causing flash flooding of the guadalupe river.

Authorities stressed that situation was still developing and that death toll could change, with rescue operations onngoing for an unspected number of missing. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Said Six to 10 Bodies had been found so far. Around the same time, Kerr county sheriff larry leitha reported that 13 people had died in the flooding.

Authorities were still working to identify the dead.

“Some are adults, some are children,” Patrick Said During a News Conference.

Pleading for information after flash flood

A river gauge at hunt recorded a 22 foot risi (6.7 meters) in about two hours, according to bob fogartty, meteorologist with the nation services Service’s Austin/San Antono Officer. The gauge failed afterwards a level of 29 and a Half fit (9 meters).

“The water is moving so fast, you not going to recognize how bad it is until it’s on top of you,” Fogarty Said.

On the Curr County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page, People Posted Pictures of Loved Ones and Begged for Help Finding them.

At last 400 people were on the ground helping in the responsibility, Patrick Said. Nine Rescue Teams, 14 Helicopters and 12 Drones Were Being Used, With People Being Rescued from Trees.

About 23 of the roughly 750 girls attending camp mystic as those who were unaccounted for, patrick said.

Search crews were doing “whatever we can do to find everyone we can,” he said.

‘Pitch black wall of death’

In ingram, erin burgss woke to thunder and rain at 3:30 am just 20 minutes later, water was pouring into her home directly across from the river, she said. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree and waiting for the water to redeough so they could walk up the hill to a neighbor’s home.

“My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog ​​floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them,” she said.

Of her 19-yar-ald son, Burgess Said: “Thankfully he’s over 6 feet tall. That only something that saved me, was hanging on to him.”

Matthew Stone, 44, of Kerrville, Said Police Came knocking on dors at 5:30 am but he had recounted no warning on his phone.

“We got no empergency alert. There was nothing,” Stone said. Then: “A pitch black wall of death.”

Stone Said Police Used His Paddle Boat To Help Rescue A Neighbor. He and the rescuers think they have someone yelling “Help!” From the water but could see someone, he said.

‘I was scared to death’

At a Reunification Center set up in Ingram, Families cried and cheered as love ones got off vehicles loaded with evacuees. Two Soldiers carried an older woman who could not get down a ladder. Behind Her, A Woman in a Soiled T-Shirt and Shorts Clutched a small white dog.

Later, a girl in a white “camp mystic” t-shirt and white socks stood in a puddle, sobbing in her mother’s arms.

Barry Adelman, 54, Said Water Pushed Everyone In His Three-Story House into the Attic, Including His 94-Old Grandmother and 9-Year-Ald Grandson. The water started Coming Trough The Attic Floor Before Finally Receding.

“I was horrified,” he said. “I was having to look at my grandson in the face and tell him everything was going to be ok, but inside I was scared to death.”

‘No one know this kind of flood was coming’

The Forecast had called for Rain, with a flood watch upgraded to a warning overnight for at least 30,000 people. But totals in some places Excesseded Expectations, Fogarty Said.

Patrick noted that potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area.

“Everything was done to give them a heads up that you could have heavy rain, and we’er not exactly sure where it is going to land,” Patrick Said. “Obviously as it got dark night, we got into the hours of the hours, that is when the storm started to zero in.”

Asked about how people were notable in cordy so that they could get to safety, judge rob Kelly, the country’s child elected official, Said: “We do not have a Warning System.”

When reporters are pushed on why more precautions weernat Taken, kelly responded: “Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming.”

“We have floods all the time,” he added. “This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States.”

Popular tourism are the prone to flooding

The area is known as “Flash Flood Alley” because of the hills’ thought austin dickson, CEO of the community foundation of the texas hill country, who was collected donations to help nonprofits to repaonod. Disaster.

“When it rains, water didn’t soak into the soil,” Dickson said. “It rushes down the hill.”

River Tourism is Industry is a key part of the hill country economy, Said Dickson. Well-Known, Century -l Summer camps bring in kids from all over the country, he said. Between hunt and ingram are many times Homes and Cabins for Rent.

“It’s generally a very tranquil river with really beautiful clear blue water that people have been attracted to for generations,” Dickson said.

Deaths in New Jersey Blamed on Thunderstorms

The flooding in texas occurred as heavy weather moving through central new jersey, where thunderstorms were blamed for at least three.

Among them were two men in plainfield who died after a tree fell on their vehicle, according to a city facebook post.

The City Canceled Its July Fourth Parade, Concert and Fireworks Show.