Shakira shares touching message to victims after Texas hit by devastating floods
Ahead of her concert in San Antonio this evening, Shakira expressed her grief after at least 24 people were killed in the devastating flash floods that hit Texas this week
Shakira has shared a touching tribute to people in Texas after the southern state was hit by devastating floods.
At least 24 people were killed and another two dozen are missing as rescuers continued to search for survivors early on Saturday. A storm unleashed nearly a foot of rain and sent floodwaters spilling out of the Guadalupe River, sweeping away a girls' summer camp in the Texas Hill Country.
The destructive force of the fast-rising waters just before dawn Friday washed out homes and swept away vehicles. There were hundreds of rescues around Kerr County, including at least 167 by helicopter, authorities said. Shakira landed in San Antonio last night, ahead of her concert at Alamodome this evening.
And as she arrived in Texas one day before her Mujeres Ya No Lloran world tour's gig, the Waka Waka hitmaker took to her Instagram Stories to reflect on the tragic floods. She expressed grief for the victims and said she would be praying for their families.
Writing in Spanish, the Colombian singer, 48, said, "I just landed in San Antonio, devastated to hear the news of the floods, the deaths, and the girls still missing. I can only think of their families and their immense pain." She concluded, My prayers are with you on this sad day."
During a news conference late on Friday, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said 24 people had been confirmed killed. Authorities said 237 people had been rescued so far. On social media, parents and families posted desperate pleas for information about loved ones caught in the flood zone.
"The camp was completely destroyed," said Elinor Lester, 13, one of hundreds of campers at Camp Mystic. "A helicopter landed and started taking people away. It was really scary."
She said a raging storm woke up her cabin around 1.30am on Friday, and when rescuers arrived, they tied a rope for the girls to hold as the children in her cabin walked across a bridge with floodwaters whipping around the calves and knees.
The flooding in the middle of the night on the Fourth of July holiday caught many residents, campers and officials by surprise. Officials defended their preparations for severe weather and their response but said they had not expected such an intense downpour that was, in effect, the equivalent of months' worth of rain for the area.
One National Weather Service forecast this week had called for only between three and six inches (76 to 152 millimeters) of rain, said Nim Kidd, the chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management. "It did not predict the amount of rain that we saw," he said.
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