Flash floods in Texas overturned an Army truck and carried it downstream. At least five bodies have been found, and three soldiers were rescued. Four are still missing.
The missing soldiers are part of the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 16th Field Artillery Regiment, and 1st Cavalry Division.
Lethal floods
The worsening weather conditions hinder the search. Texas has undergone severe flash flood alerts since 2015. The state is expected to experience another 10 inches of rain until Saturday, thus adding to the damages that recent floods have caused. On a period of just 3 hours, LaPorte perceived a record of 4.36 inches of rain.
“The ground is already saturated, and the rivers are swollen, so this is going to hamper flood relief efforts as well as the search,” the Weather Channel advised Texas residents, particularly those in the proximity of Fort Hood.
It seems that this year has been the most lethal when it comes to flash floods in the state of Texas, as several of its counties have declared a state of emergency.
How the rain swept the soldiers
The soldiers were driving a Light Medium Tactical Vehicle, a truck used for transporting troops. The vehicle was overturned at Owl Creek as they were undergoing training exercises last Thursday morning.
At 11:20 a.m. emergency personnel was sought to help the victims. According to officials, the flooding was not taken into consideration as to whether the training exercise should have been canceled. This is due to the Army should train, no matter how harsh the weather.
“It never rains in the Army. It rains ON the Army. We have people training in all weather,” Fort Hood spokesman Tyler Broadway stated.
The soldiers have just returned from a nine-month deployment in South Korea. Their names have not been released to the public.
Search parties have been deployed to find the missing soldiers. The Army has provided aircraft, canine search teams, watercraft and aerial search crews. At least six other people in the state of Texas have died due to recent floods.
Not the first time this happens
Houston recently dealt with at least 8 inches of rain along its northern parts. Thousands of homes and families have been affected by the increased stream of the Brazos River. The situation is expected to worsen, as there has not been enough time for the rainfall to flow effectively out of the city.
This is not the first time Fort Hood has had to deal with the death of its soldiers. Back in 2015, a helicopter crash ended the lives of four soldiers as it underwent training procedures. Another soldier was reported missing and then dead in 2007, as he took upon solo navigation to train himself against heat and dehydration.
Another accident occurred in unison as a fighter jet crashed in Nashville just as the truck was overturned. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter sent his condolences to the affected families, and he ensured that actions will be taken to safeguard the lives of U.S. soldiers while they are undergoing training procedures.
Source: NBC News