On Tuesday, July 8th, the death toll from the catastrophic flooding in central Texas continues to rise, with at least 105 confirmed fatalities. The majority of the victims are from Kerr County, including 28 members who were attending an event at Camp Mystic.
According to Texas Governor Greg Abbott, there are still at least 23 people missing, and search and rescue operations are ongoing. Hundreds of volunteers and over 20 state-level agencies are participating in the large-scale rescue efforts.
The weather is noticeably clearing up, although isolated showers and thunderstorms may still occur in the afternoon, but are unlikely to cause significant flooding.
Governor Abbott is scheduled to hold a press conference at 6 p.m. Eastern Time today.
Authorities in Burnet County are continuing their search for a volunteer fire chief who went missing while responding to rescue calls following the fatal flooding over the weekend in central Texas.
Deputy Sheriff Alan Trevino of the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office told CNN on Tuesday that Michael Phillips, the fire chief of the volunteer fire department in the Marble Falls Area, is the county’s last known missing person.
The county is concentrating all efforts on the search and rescue mission, including using helicopters to land rescue teams in remote areas and areas that are still too wet and inaccessible by horse.
(This article references CNN’s reporting)