'Nobody saw this coming': Rescue efforts continue in Central Texas as devastating floods wreck-havoc

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Saturday, Governor Gregg Abbott signed a disaster declaration, adding counties affected, following a deadly flash flooding across Central Texas. 

In a Saturday press conference, Abbott was joined by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, U.S. Congressman Chip Roy, Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd, and other officials.

The declaration signed by Abbott comes after ongoing flash flooding across Central Texas, as rainfall continues through the region. 

As of Saturday evening, officials said 43 people have been found dead and 27 others are still missing in Kerr county. Of those killed, 28 were adults and 15 were children. Five adults remain unidentified, as well as three children, officials said. 

Some of those children victims had been camping at Camp Mystic, a riverside camp. After a Saturday afternoon press conference, Governor Abbott and Secretary Noem surveyed damage at Camp Mystic and visited with camp leadership. 

“We will be relentless in going after and locating every single person that has been a victim in this event,” Abbott said during the news conference. “We will stop when this job is completed.”

In addition to the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County, an overnight increase in storm damage, rainfall, and flooding in other regions in Texas influenced Abbott to add counties to the disaster declaration -- an expanded disaster declaration, Abbott said. The disaster declaration will include Bexar, Burnet, Caldwell, Guadalupe, Williamson and Travis Counties. Officials will continue to add counties as needed as conditions either worsen or improve, Abbott said.

According to Williamson County Judge Steven Snell, at least three people are missing and more than 100 citizens were displaced following major flooding in the area Saturday. In Travis County, officials said at least four people have died and 10 others are missing. Officials said two people were killed in the Burnet County flooding; two others were reported still missing at this time, including a volunteer fire chief.

The document is the first step in the process to request a Federal Disaster Declaration, and according to Abbott, this was a federal request. He then expressed his gratitude to Trump and his entire administration for their “devotion to the state of Texas,” which was represented at the conference by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

Noem said at the conference that federal resources will be provided as needed. She added that Trump is “absolutely committed to using all the resources of the federal government to help unify families, rescue all those still missing and return those who we may recover back soon to their families.”

In the conference, Noem said while this tragic situation was “unprecedented, we recognized that at a federal level.” She continued to express that the federal government will be “walking alongside” and will “be here” for support and to send extra resources on the ground.

“We also had assets here on the ground since the beginning of this crisis,” Noem said. “We did have Coast Guard assets that were here that were helping to rescue people,” Noem added.

While Central Texas continues its search and rescue for victims of the flooding, Noem said the Federal Emergency Management Agency is “standing at an enhanced level and is engaged” as these flood conditions continue.  

“We will send more airframes such as helicopters,” said Noem. “We will send more helicopters to the Coast Guards so search and rescue does not stop when it goes dark.”

Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly expressed prayers and gratitude the county has received in the last several days. 

“Nobody saw this coming,” Kelly said, referencing the devastating flooding in Kerrville, Texas. “You can see what’s happened and it’s going to be a long time before we’re able to clean up, much less rebuild it,” Kelly said.

Despite the travesty the city has experienced, Kelly thanked God for “all the help we are receiving today.” 

Texas Department Emergency Management Chief Nimm Kidd said life safety continues to be their number one priority and that "every hour counts." Search and rescue efforts will continue until all people are accounted for, according to officials.

“The entire river is being searched, from the northernmost all the way down,” Kidd said. “That process is going to keep going. We are not stopping until we find everyone that is missing.”

Abbott said in the past 36 hours, more than 850 people have been rescued from floodwaters, “some clinging to trees.”