This story was updated at 5 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday.
(The Center Square) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Tuesday the deployment of 18 more urban search-and-rescue team members to Texas to help with recovery from the devastating Independence Day flooding.
The members are in addition to the nine members deployed Monday from the cities of Riverside and Oakland, according to a news release from the Governor’s Office.
Tuesday’s deployment included human remains detection teams and eight search-and-rescue dogs from fire departments in Los Angeles and Orange counties and the cities of Riverside and Menlo Park.
The Governor’s Office said the deployment won’t affect California’s ability to respond to its own disasters.
“The scale of loss and devastation Texas is experiencing right now is unfathomable,” Newsom said in a news release. “California is proud to lend a helping hand to our fellow Americans.”
Officials in Kerr County, which suffered the highest number of fatalities in Texas, reported Tuesday that the death count had risen to 94. The total for deaths in Texas was 109 as of Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott said.
At least 171 people were known to be missing.
Elsewhere in the Southwest, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis offered to provide resources to help Texas with its recovery and search efforts.
“Colorado has faced natural disasters, floods, and wildfires, and we send our deepest sympathies to the families and individuals who have lost loved ones and had their lives impacted,” Polis said in a news release.
