More than 160 people are missing after deadly floods in Central Texas during the Fourth of July weekend. Search and rescue operations led by officials face obstacles such as debris removal, environmental conditions, and lack of survivors found since July 4. Governor Greg Abbott has committed to continuing search efforts, but retired Army Lieutenant General Russel L. Honore emphasized the painstaking process of safely removing debris. Heavy rains after the floods have further complicated search efforts, causing authorities to caution against heavy equipment use that could endanger potential victims.
Search efforts can be painstakingly slow because piled up debris has to be carefully removed. 'It's not like bringing the excavator in and starting to move debris. You've got to take it off a piece at a time and respect that that might be a person under the next piece of wood you're picking up,' Honore said.
Rain that fell after the initial devastating flooding also slowed search efforts. Kerville Police Department asked volunteers on social media to not use heavy equipment to tear down large pieces of debris due to the possibility that a victim could be inside.
The situation is further complicated by soaring temperatures, as teams work along the riverbanks and in the river, navigating the enormous heat and the rapidly shifting debris in the water.
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