Sightseers and unauthorized drone operators have hindered search and rescue efforts along the Guadalupe River in Texas, authorities said Monday as they urged outsiders to stay away from the areas ravaged by Friday’s flooding.
On Monday afternoon, a helicopter assisting with emergency operations made an emergency landing after it was struck by a private drone flying over Kerr County, which is under an airspace restriction.
The helicopter was damaged during the collision, rendering the critical piece of emergency response equipment unusable until further notice, the City of Kerrville shared on Facebook.
Shortly after the helicopter landed, a slew of other unauthorized drones were spotted in the sky, the City of Kerrville Police Department added.
While the airspace is restricted, all drones unaffiliated with authorities are banned.
First responders on the ground have also been impeded by observers.
“Our first responders were hampered by heavy traffic yesterday, mostly sightseers who are making things worse. If you’re not from here, don’t come here to see flood damage,” the KPD wrote on Facebook.
So far, 104 people have been found dead across five counties from the flooding, with the bulk of the casualties coming from Kerr County.
Twenty-seven girls and counselors from Camp Mystic were also killed in the flood, the camp administration announced Monday morning. Eleven others from the camp are still missing.
The flood caused the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in just 45 minutes as a sudden storm dumped four months’ worth of rain on the community over the course of several hours.
Nearly a dozen summer camps are situated along the banks of the Guadalupe River every year.
Kerrville lacked an emergency warning system, which made it difficult for people to evacuate ahead of the deadly deluge. The mayor of Kerrville admitted through tears that he hadn’t even received a warning on his phone.
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