As the death toll from floods in central Texas rises to 82, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio visits a Catholic church offering care and assistance to those affected.
By James Blears & Devin Watkins
Eighty two people are confirmed dead in the flooding disaster in the city of Kerrville, and forty one others remain missing.
So far, the death toll in the Kerr County tragedy in the US state of Texas includes twenty eight children and is expected to rise because people are still missing. Ten of those are from a Christian Girls Camp, along with their counsellor.
The tragedy occurred on Friday, July 4, when the Guadalupe River, swollen by massive downpours rose an unprecedented eight meters in just forty five minutes, burst its banks and engulfed the sleeping campers and Independence Day vacationers in mobile homes, which were swept away.
Weather forecasters are warning more storms are expected during the next thirty six hours.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott says a full-scale search-and-rescue operation will not stop until every person affected is located and accounted for.
US President Donald Trump has signed legislation enabling the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reinforce the rescue efforts.
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV prayed for the victims and their families at the Sunday Angelus address.
“I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were at summer camp in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River, in Texas, in the United States. We pray for them,” he said.
Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, Archbishop of San Antonio, visited Kerrville the day of the disaster, offering prayers and support.
He met with families at the Notre Dame Catholic Church, one of four sites that the city has designated as centers for refuge, care, and assistance.
Speaking to OSV News, the Archbishop said Catholic Charities—the US affiliate of Caritas Internationalis—was providing food, clothes, hygiene articles, water, and a place to sleep for people who have been evacuated or lost their homes.
“A lot of young parents were there, very young and they were coming from different places too,” he said. “This is not an issue just for the San Antonio Archdiocese, which is part of it, but no, there were people from Houston, from Austin, from other states.”
