KERRVILLE, Texas, July 10 – Six days after flash floods swept through parts of Texas Hill Country, and killed at least 120, authorities say there are still more than 160 people unaccounted for, as thousands of searchers combed through piles of mud-covered debris for survivors on Thursday.
But that figure may not reflect the true number of missing people, according to disaster response experts.
The number of people reported missing in the aftermath of a natural disaster often turns out to be far greater than the eventual death toll.
Worried members of the public, unable to reach a relative or friend, report the name to local authorities and to crowd-sourced online databases, and it gets added to a list that can grow distressingly long.
REUTERS
