THE Houston Texans have made a heartfelt gesture after at least 69 people were killed in devastating floods.
President Donald Trump led tributes for the “unimaginable tragedy” which has hit Texas Hill Country communities.
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Flash floods in the region have killed at least 69 people, including 21 children, as rescuers continue searching for more survivors after the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in 45 minutes.
And the Houston Texans have now announced they will be sending aid.
The NFL franchise confirmed they would be sending $500,000 to help those affected by the floods.
A statement from Janice, Hannah and Cal McNair, the Texans’ owners, said: “We are heartbroken by the loss and damage that our neighbors in the Texas Hill Country have endured.
“We are especially devastated to hear about the children who are still missing and we are praying they are reunited with their families soon.
“Our hearts will remain with everyone affected and in addition to our donation, we will continue to support the search, rescue and recovery efforts in the coming weeks.
Searchers are using choppers, boats and drones to urgently find victims and rescue those stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads.
Trump has announced he signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County to help efforts.
Taking to Truth Social, the President said the declaration will “ensure that our Brave First Responders immediately have the resources they need”.
He added: “These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing.”
Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued in the last 36 hours and there were heroic efforts at the camps to save children.
Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram Independent School District, said: “We still have people coming here looking for their loved ones.
“We’ve had a little success, but not much.”
Worst hit was Kerr County, particularly areas around the Guadalupe River where waters rose by 26ft in 45 minutes following a freak dump of rainfall.
About a third of a year’s worth of rain fell in a few short hours, completely overwhelming the waterways and creating an “extraordinary catastrophe”.
Elsewhere in Texas, four people were confirmed dead in Travis County, northeast of Kerr, and 13 people were missing, according to public information office director Hector Nieto.
The total number of people missing is still unknown.
Texas Department of Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said air, ground and water-based crews were scouring the length of the Guadalupe River for survivors and the bodies of the dead.
A 22-year-old woman was miraculously rescued from a tree after being swept 20 miles downstream by ferocious floodwaters.
