In the wake of the deadly July 4 flooding that ravaged the hill country of Texas, the Trump administration is approving additional counties for federal disaster relief.

Word of the expanded area eligible for federal aid comes as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania left Washington to get a firsthand look at the devastation and offer comfort to grieving families.

The Dallas Morning News reported Friday that the death toll from the flash floods stood at 121. But the News also reported that as many as 160 people are still missing, now one week after the Guadalupe River, gorged by as much as a foot of rainfall in a period of a few hours, slammed through everything well outside its normal banks, carrying people, trees and parts of buildings far downriver. Thousands of volunteers are assisting municipal and state response teams in the search for those who are still missing.

Trump told reporters in Washington before leaving for Texas that the flood damage is unthinkable. "It's a horrible thing. A horrible thing. Nobody can even believe it," he said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a release that the state's request to the Trump administration to expand the disaster relief area from the flooding was approved in about 24 hours. The rugged, rural area affected by the flooding is about 200 miles west of Houston.

Along with the regional disaster relief program that will help with state and local infrastructure cleanup and repairs, a separate federal program for residents to get help in a six-county area has also been approved. Abbott's office said that it could be expanded as the Federal Emergency Management Agency staff reviews more details.

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