Texas' Daunting Task: Finding 173 Missing People

As Texas grapples with the aftermath of catastrophic floods, search crews in the Hill Country face the daunting task of finding more than 170 people still missing. At least 173 people remain missing, including 161 from Kerr County, the area hardest hit by the flooding, according to figures released by Gov. Greg Abbott late Tuesday, reports the New York Times. The death toll from the floods has reached at least 111, making it one of the deadliest disasters in the region's recent history. At least 87 deaths have been reported in Kerr County, per CBS News. Officials warn the tally could climb much higher. Search efforts in Kerr County have not turned up survivors since Friday.

The state has not clarified how it compiled the missing persons list; local officials previously reported much smaller numbers, per the Times. "The primary job right now continues to be locating everybody who was affected by this flood," Abbott said, vowing that teams would not stop until all bodies are recovered. Children make up a significant share of the casualties, with at least 30 among the dead, most of them campers at Camp Mystic. The bodies of five campers and a 19-year-old camp counselor remained unrecovered as searches entered their sixth day. Abbott said Tuesday that one child not associated with the camp is also missing, per CBS. (The governor refused to point fingers earlier Tuesday.)