The governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, said that his family was rescued in the unprecedented floods that killed more than 100 people in the center of Texas.
Youngkin said that the floods that hit Hunt, Texas, in the early hours of July 4, left his wife, Virginia’s first lady, Suzanne Youngkin, and other family members stranded on a property near the Guadalupe River, according to WWBT Affiliate of NBC.
“My family was there, along with friends, and by the grace of God, my family was safe,” he said. “I have to say that there were times when they were not. They ended up being safe during the day.”
In an event not related to floods, Youngkin told reporters that the Texas authorities offered their family outside the area. The family rejected the offer once it was clear that they were no longer in danger, he said, and those resources were assigned to those in situations that threaten life.
Youngkin added that he flew to Texas on Friday afternoon and met with members of the National Guard who helped rescue his family.
The Youngkin family visits the property several times a year, according to WWBT. Youngkin told journalists that his wife’s family has stayed in the area.
“These people are familiar to us, deep relationships,” he said. “And, therefore, what happened in the early hours of Friday has been devastating. The loss of lives is simply shocking.”
During the weekend, the governor announced in a statement that he was deploying two Swift Water rescue teams from Virginia Type III to help the recovery efforts on the current in Texas.
“Our hearts are with families and communities in Texas that have been devastated by these historical floods,” he said at that time. “We sympathize with the people of Texas, and we are committed to offering all the support requested during this critical time.”
On Tuesday, the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, said that more than 173 people are still missing, days after the floods hit the area in Kerr County, approximately 90 miles northwest of San Antonio.
