HOUSTON — The devastating flooding on July 4, 2025, in central Texas has claimed at least 119 lives as of Wednesday morning, with the death toll expected to rise further, according to local authorities.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at least 161 people remain missing in the county, one of the hardest-hit areas. Among the missing are five girls and a counselor from an all-girls summer camp along the Guadalupe River.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday night that at least 173 people are unaccounted for across the state. He has ordered state flags to be flown at half-staff until sunrise on July 14 to honor the victims.
Meanwhile, three people were killed after flash floods hit the village of Ruidoso in the central southern state of New Mexico on Tuesday, according to New Mexico officials.
The National Weather Service reports that floods have killed an average of 113 people per year in the United States over the past decade, accounting for nearly one-sixth of all weather-related deaths. / XINHUA