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TEXAS FLOODING DEATH TOLL RISES TO AT LEAST 104, WITH 28 CHILDREN AMONG THE DEAD

The death toll from the devastating flash floods in central Texas has risen to at least 104, with 28 children among the victims. The floods, which occurred over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, have left an unknown number of people still missing. In Kerr County, where the flooding was most severe, searchers have found the bodies of 84 people, including 27 children. Ten campers and one counselor remain missing from Camp Mystic, a summer camp for girls that was hit hard by the floods. “It’s hard, but first responders, we’re a different breed, pretty much,” said Jesús Gomez, a firefighter from the Mexican border town of Acuña, who was part of a crew that helped with search and rescue efforts. “It’s a lot of mental health things we need to do, but it’s not the first time we see a dead body.” The floods have drawn a massive search effort, with officials and volunteers working together to find missing people. Governor Greg Abbott has said that 41 people are unaccounted for across the state, and more could be missing. “It’s every parent’s nightmare,” said Senator Ted Cruz, who picked up his daughter from a camp in the area just a week ago. “The pain and agony of not knowing your children’s whereabouts is the worst thing imaginable.” The floods have also sparked questions about the preparedness and response of officials. Survivors have described the floods as a “pitch black wall of death” and said they received no emergency warnings. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said that “nobody saw this coming,” but officials have come under scrutiny for not alerting residents and summer camps along the river sooner. The National Weather Service had issued flash flood warnings in the area before the floods, but it’s unclear whether these warnings were received by those in the affected areas. The incident has highlighted the need for a more robust flood warning system, similar to a tornado warning system. As the search and rescue efforts continue, volunteers and officials are working together to find missing people and provide support to those affected by the floods. The Mexican consulate in San Antonio is helping 30 Mexican people affected by the floods, and Nebraska is sending a 45-member search and rescue team to assist. The community is coming together to support those affected, with donations and volunteers being directed to local groups. “Kendall County came together,” said Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk. “Neighbors helped neighbors, strangers became rescuers.” The United Nations has also expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity with those impacted. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the disaster struck “during what should have been a time of celebration over the holiday weekend.” The situation remains dire, with more rain forecasted and the risk of further flooding still high in saturated parts of central Texas.

DEATH TOLL IN SYRIA CLASHES RISES TO OVER 1,000, WAR MONITOR SAYS

The death toll from two days of clashes between Syrian security forces and loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad has risen to over 1,000, a war monitoring group said Saturday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 745 civilians, 125 government security force members, and 148 militants with armed groups affiliated with Assad were killed. The clashes, which erupted Thursday, marked a major escalation in the challenge to the new government in Damascus, three months after insurgents took authority after removing Assad from power. The government has said that they were responding to attacks from remnants of Assad’s forces and blamed “individual actions” for the rampant violence. Rami Abdurrahman, the Observatory’s chief, described the killings of Alawite civilians as “one of the biggest massacres during the Syrian conflict”. “This was one of the biggest massacres during the Syrian conflict,” Abdurrahman said. Residents of Alawite villages and towns spoke of killings during which gunmen shot Alawites, mostly men, in the streets or at the gates of their homes. Many homes of Alawites were looted and then set on fire in different areas. Ali Sheha, a 57-year-old resident of Baniyas, described the attacks as “revenge killings” of the Alawite minority for the crimes committed by Assad’s government. “It was very very bad. Bodies were on the streets,” Sheha said, speaking by phone from nearly 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from the city. The international community has expressed concern over the violence, with France condemning the atrocities committed against civilians on the basis of religious grounds and against prisoners. France urged Syrian interim authorities to ensure independent investigations “shed full light on these crimes”.

DEATH TOLL FROM KANO TRAILER ACCIDENT RISES TO 23

A tragic trailer accident in Kano has claimed the lives of 23 people, with 48 others injured, according to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kano command. The accident occurred on Friday when a trailer carrying people and cargo lost control and collapsed at the Muhammadu Buhari flyover. The FRSC spokesperson in Kano, Abdullahi Labaran, stated that the accident was caused by dangerous driving on the part of the trailer driver, who was speeding and lost control of the vehicle. “Vehicle involved is a trailer (DAF Model) carrying goods and passengers; cause of RTC was dangerous driving due to over-speeding which resulted in the loss of control under the bridge; the total number of people involved was 71; total number of people injured was 48, and the total fatalities was 23,” Labaran said. In response to the incident, the sector commander, FRSC Kano sector command, CC UM Matazu, dispatched an investigation team to conduct a thorough inquiry into the crash. Matazu strongly warned drivers and the general public against overloading trailers with goods, animals, and passengers, stating that such practices significantly increase the risk of fatal crashes.