VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Eight members of the Virginia Beach Fire Department’s Swiftwater Rescue Team, VA-2, are deploying to Texas Sunday evening to assist with ongoing flood response operations under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).
The team is set to depart from the Harry E. Diezel Fire Training Center at 5 p.m. and joins efforts to locate the missing and assist communities devastated by flash flooding across the Texas Hill Country.
“We are proud to support our partners in Texas during this challenging time,” said Fire Chief Ken Pravetz.
As of Sunday, at least 70 people are confirmed dead following the floods that began Friday, with 59 of those fatalities in Kerr County alone, including 21 children, according to Sheriff Larry Leitha. Eleven girls and a camp counselor remain missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp in the area.
Families were allowed to return to the damaged camp Sunday, where they sifted through debris and searched for signs of their loved ones. Rescue crews continued to use helicopters, drones and boats in a widespread search effort.
President Donald Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, enabling federal assistance. Flash flood watches remain in effect, with more rain expected.
