President Donald Trump told reporters he plans to visit the sites of the devastating flash floods in Texas this week.
“Probably on Friday,” Trump told reporters, when asked whether he plans to visit Texas.
“We wanted to leave a little time,” he continued. “I would have done it today, but we’d just be in their way. Probably Friday.”
As of Sunday afternoon, at least 70 people had been confirmed dead in central Texas, where search and rescue operations continued to scour the area hit the hardest by Friday’s floods.
Kerr County, where Camp Mystic and other summer camps are located, confirmed 59 deaths, including 38 adults and 21 children, the sheriff’s office said Sunday morning.
Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, said it’s mourning the loss of 27 campers and counselors following the flooding of the Guadalupe River over the Fourth of July weekend.
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,” the camp said in a statement on Monday.
“We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls,” it added.
As of Monday morning, ten campers and one counselor were reported missing. At least 82 people have died in central Texas following the flooding that began early Friday.
“We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us,” said the camp, which describes itself on its website as a “private Christian summer camp for girls.”
Trump signed a “major disaster declaration” for Kerr County, Texas, on Sunday morning, “to ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need,” he wrote in a Truth Social post.
“These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders,” Trump continued.
The National Weather service issued a Flash Flood Warning on Monday for Llano County in central Texas, warning that “Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.”
“At 739 AM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area,” it added.
“Some locations that will experience flash flooding include… Llano, Gainesville, Buchanan Lake Village, Castell, Oxford, Valley Spring, Lone Grove, Baby Head, Stolz, Prairie Mountain, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, Bluffton, Field Creek and Tow,” according to the NWS.
