Abbott confirms 109 dead and 161 people missing in Texas

The number of people missing after flash floods hit Central Texas has reached an alarming 161, Governor Greg Abbott confirmed on Tuesday, a figure four times higher than the initial report. Heavy rains and flash floods also left 109 dead, surpassing the death toll from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

The update comes after the governor carried out an aerial tour of the hardest-hit areas. During his visit, he described the situation as "devastating" and stated that emergency crews will continue to work until they locate every person reported missing.

Kerr County, hardest hit

One of the most critical points is Kerr County, where 87 of the deaths occurred. In that region, five girls who were part of a Christian summer camp, Camp Mystic, which has suffered 27 deaths among its attendants and staff, are also reported missing.

Rescuers continue to search through debris, mud and still flooded areas. Abbott said the list of missing is being compiled based on reports from friends, neighbors and family members, and warned that the number could continue to grow in the coming days.

"We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for," the governor assured the media.

Rejection of the politicization of the tragedy

During the press conference, the governor was asked about a possible investigation into decisions made before and during the weather emergency. Upon hearing the question, which included the phrase "who’s to blame?" Abbott responded with evident annoyance:

"The word choice of losers," he said, before comparing the situation to a sports analogy. "Every football team makes mistakes. The losing teams are the ones that try to point out who’s to blame. The championship teams are the ones that say, ‘Don’t worry, ma’am, we’ve got this.'"