Soccer coach and wife killed in Texas floods as their kids remain missing with death toll at 52: Live updates
The ongoing deluge which started on July 3 has taken the lives of at least 52 people, including 15 children, while destroying thousands of homes and businesses.
Soccer coach Reece Zunker and his wife Paula died in the horrific torrent - and their two young children are still missing.
The couple's family and local soccer team confirmed their deaths on social media, while one relative said their house was spotted 'floating down the Guadalupe River'.
It comes as residents have started questioning why officials failed to warn them about the floods until 1.18pm on July 3, and framed them as only 'moderate' storms.
The National Weather Service escalated the alert to a flash flood warning at 1am Friday, then a more serious Flash Flood Emergency by 4.30am - but by this stage water was already pouring into families' homes.
A flood watch remains in place for many of the worst-hit areas of central Texas through Sunday, including Kerrville County where the majority of the deaths have been recorded. Forecasters have warned that more rain is on the way.
12:32
Beloved soccer coach and wife among the dead
Reece Zunker and his wife Paula are among those who died in the devastating floods, and their two young children are still missing.
The couple's family and local soccer team confirmed their deaths on social media, while one relative said their house was spotted 'floating down the Guadalupe River'.
Tivy Boys Soccer team paid tribute to their coach in a Facebook post, saying he 'rebuilt the soccer program and left a legacy'.
'His passion for his players, students, co-workers, community and his family will never be forgotten,' the team wrote.
Dozens of people commented on the post to share the 'incredible' impact he had on their lives.
Texas flooding death toll climbs to 52
Officials have said 52 people have been confirmed dead, including 15 children, since the deluge began in central Texas on Thursday.
The majority of those who died were in Kerrville County, where the Guadalupe River broke its banks in the early hours of the Fourth of July.
Rescuers were continuing to comb the river for dozens of missing people on Sunday. The death toll is expected to rise.
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The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
At least 70 have died after catastrophic flooding in Texas - as officials warn ‘wall of water' could batter region
Three days after flash floods first ravaged south-central Texas and claimed more than 70 lives, local officials are still searching for 10 missing campers as another 'wall of water' heads to the area. Flash floods slammed Kerr County and its surrounding areas at the start of the holiday weekend, leaving locals, campers, and July 4th visitors swept up in the catastrophic floods. Rescue efforts were still in full force Sunday as emergency crews raced against the clock to find 11 girls from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp along the Guadalupe River that was devastated by the floods. 'We won't stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins,' Governor Greg Abbott said in a Saturday evening statement. The region is now bracing for more heavy rainfall, potentially complicating the search efforts and endangering even more people. There are reports of an additional 'wall of water' heading toward Kerr County, Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. Kidd warned: 'Because the ground is already saturated, any rain that falls can be perceived as life-threatening rain.' The National Weather Service had predicted between 1 and 3 inches of rain, with some areas possibly getting 5 to 7 inches. But the reality was a torrential downpour along the Guadalupe River late Thursday that led to unexpected flash floods, with parts of Kerr County getting pummeled with 10 to 15 inches in just a short span. The river surged from 8 feet to 29 feet in a matter of hours early Friday morning. Camp Mystic, which sits along the river, was 'horrendously ravaged,' Abbott said. At least 27 people at Camp Mystic have died as a result of the floods, the camp told NBC News in a statement. "This tragedy has devastated us and our entire community. Our hearts are broken alongside the families that are enduring this tragedy, and we share their hope and prayers," the statement read. The search for 10 missing girls and one counselor continues. In total, at least 40 people across Texas counties were missing as of Sunday afternoon, the governor said, while dozens of others have died due to the flash floods. Who are the victims? The death toll rose to 79 people on Sunday. Dick Eastland, the director of Camp Mystic, and Chloe Childress, an 18-year-old counselor at the camp, both lost their lives in the floods, according to reports. Jonathan Eades, head of the Kinkaid School from where Childress recently graduated, told the New York Times that she lost her life upholding a 'selfless and fierce commitment to others.' Several campers, not even 10 years old, also died in the floods, their families confirmed. Julian Ryan, a 27-year-old dishwasher in Ingram, Texas, lost his life after water poured into his trailer home. The rest of his family was spared. 'He was the best father, and was always such a happy person who was never above helping people, no matter what it cost,' his fiancee Christinia Wilson told the Times. 'He died trying to save us.' Jane Ragsdale, camp director and co-owner of Heart O' the Hills, a summer camp along the Guadalupe River, was killed in the floods, the camp said in a statement. 'She embodied the spirit of Heart O' the Hills and was exactly the type of strong, joyful woman that the camp aimed to develop with the girls entrusted to us each summer,' the statement read. More than two dozen other victims, including children, have yet to be identified, officials said Sunday. What's the scale of the search? Federal, state and local entities have been working on search and rescue efforts for a third day. On Saturday, officials said more than 850 people had been rescued or evacuated. The Texas Military Department has conducted 525 rescues and evacuations, both by air and by ground, an official said at a Sunday afternoon press conference. The Coast Guard has saved or assisted in saving 223 lives, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday. As of Sunday, there are 230 Texas Military Department personnel working on the response. They are operating eight helicopters as well as some high-profile military vehicles to help evacuate people from high-water areas, officials said. The personnel are still in Kerrville and have expanded their operations to include San Saba and Burnet. There are also some behavior health officers and chaplains working in those areas. In Kerr County alone, there were 400 first responders working on Sunday, with more than 100 air, water, and ground vehicles conducting search and rescue efforts, the sheriff's office said. What has the political response been? President Donald Trump signed a Major Disaster Declaration for Kerr County, Texas on Sunday, providing federal resources to the ravaged area, he said in a statement Sunday morning. 'These families are enduring an unimaginable tragedy, with many lives lost, and many still missing. The Trump Administration continues to work closely with State and Local Leaders. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem was on the ground yesterday with Governor Greg Abbott, who is working hard to help the people of his Great State,' the president wrote. 'Our incredible U.S. Coast Guard, together with State First Responders, have saved more than 850 lives. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!' Former President George W. Bush, who served as the 46th governor of Texas, offered his condolences in a statement shared to social media on Sunday. "On this day of prayer, Laura and I are holding up our fellow Texans who are hurting. We are heartbroken by the loss of life and the agony so many are feeling. Those who have lost their precious children are facing a grief no parents should ever know,' the former president said. 'We are grateful to the first responders and volunteers who are working to find the missing and comfort the grieving at Camp Mystic and along the Guadalupe. We know our words cannot help, but we believe the prayers of so many Americans will,' the statement continued. Former President Barack Obama also said he was praying for those affected by the floods, calling the disaster 'heartbreaking.' 'The flash flooding in Central Texas is absolutely heartbreaking. Michelle and I are praying for everyone who has lost a loved one or is waiting for news — especially the parents. And we're grateful to the first responders and rescue teams working around the clock to help,' he wrote.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Texas flash flooding: 21 children among at least 79 killed; DNA being collected to identify the dead
22:07:22 Number of dead is now 79 - but that figure is still likely to change There are now 79 people dead across Texas following the flash flooding on 4 July. Below are the numbers in each county - Kerr county remains the worst affected, with 27 dead at Camp Mystic alone. Kerr: 69 Williamson: 1 Burnet: 4 Tom Green: 1 Kendall: 1 Travis: 4 Officials have repeatedly warned that this figure is likely to change (and it has changed throughout the day), as rescuers work night and day to find survivors and recover bodies. 21:57:43 'We know questions are being asked about emergency notifications' There are still ten children and one camp counsellor missing from Camp Mystic, the county's sheriff has said. Sheriff Larry Leitha says there have been 68 deaths in Kerr County, including 40 adults and 28 children. Of those, eighteen adults and ten children have yet to be identified. Officials will undertake a full review of warning systems in place. "We know questions are being asked about the emergency notifications," city manager Dalton Rice adds. "We will take clear steps to strengthen future preparedness," he said. The next update from Kerr County officials will take place at 4pm tomorrow UK time (10am local time), unless there is a "major update" before then, officials said as they drew the press conference to a close. 21:37:01 Camp Mystic counsellor 'lost everything' in flash floods as she rushed to save her campers by Megan Harwood-Baynes, news reporter A Camp Mystic counsellor, who woke up to her cabin of young girls screaming at 3am, has "lost everything" in the flash floods, her friend has told Sky News. London Smith, 19, was working at the camp for the second summer in a row. "She lost her family a couple of years ago so lives at this camp during the summer because she has nowhere else to go," her friend Alexis Lambert said. "Camp has become her community and support system." This meant everything she owned was inside the cabin when the flood water swept through in the middle of the night. But London "stayed calm" and made sure her 17 campers evacuated safely. A GoFundMe is raising money to try and replace some of her belongings, including her phone, ID and laptop - although it cannot replace the sentimental items she lost, including those from her father. "She has worked so hard to build her life and support herself through college," the fundraiser says. "She spends her summers at Camp Mystic mentoring young girls and using what she earns to help pay for school at [Dallas Baptist University] in the fall." It has raised more than $15,000 (£10,980) in just a matter of hours. 21:09:58 Camp Mystic confirms 27 people died at the site in first statement since tragedy struck At least 27 people at Camp Mystic in Texas died from the flooding of the Guadalupe River, the camp confirmed in a statement to Sky's US partner NBC News. It is the first official statement from the camp since the tragedy struck. An unknown number of others connected to the camp remain unaccounted for. The camp said it is working with local and state officials to try to locate the 11 girls who remain missing. "This tragedy has devastated us and our entire community. Our hearts are broken alongside the families that are enduring this tragedy, and we share their hope and prayers," the camp's statement said. 21:06:55 Authorities are collecting DNA from families for rapid tests to identify the dead Police are collecting DNA from family members to help identify those who have died in the floods, officials have said. Colonel Freeman Martin, from the Texas Department of Public Safety, says there are several "unidentified" people at funeral homes, both adults and children. Authorities are collecting the DNA from family members and having it flown to the University of North Texas in Dallas. "We will have rapid DNA in hours, not days, to get some closure and information back to those families." 21:03:32 Warning issued to Texas drivers for next 48 hours More rainfall could lead to "rapid flash flooding events", the governor is urging. He says some lives lost across Texas happened when people were swept away in vehicles. "Rising water on roads can occur very rapidly. You may think you can drive through it, only to find out when you're in there that it is too late and you are getting swept away." He is urging people to be "extraordinarily cautious" for the next 48 hours. "You don't need to get from point A to point B if you are going to risk your life," he says, telling people to "turn around, don't drown". 20:57:17 'We don't know who they are': Still not known how many are missing in floods Greg Abbott is asking relatives of people who may have been camping in Kerr County to contact local authorities. In Kerr County, 59 people have died, and 11 children are still missing from Camp Mystic. In central Texas, a further ten are dead - this is the same death figure we were told earlier. Across the state, there are 41 known people missing. But due to the number of people who may have been camping unofficially in the area, it is difficult to know just who is missing, Gov. Abbott says. "There are people who are missing who are not on the 'known confirmed missing' because we do not know who they are," he says. But he urged people to call "only if you have specific information". Gov. Abbott described his visit to Camp Mystic as "nothing short of horrific to see what those children had gone through". He says officials are working to get "accurate information" to parents. 20:51:00 Texas governor now speaking Greg Abbott is now giving an update - it had been due to start at 8.30pm UK time but was delayed. He is speaking from Austin, Texas, not Kerrville, due to more expected storms that will pose life-threatening danger. Yesterday, he was pictured visiting Camp Mystic, where 11 young girls and one camp counsellor are still missing. 20:06:27 Texas governor pictured visiting summer camp Greg Abbott was pictured visiting the summer camp yesterday, where 11 girls and one camp counsellor are still missing. Originally, 27 young girls were missing from the camp after flash floods swept through the area. Buildings are missing walls, while soaking bedding is seen piled up outside one cabin. The Texas Governor previously said efforts remain focused on finding survivors. "There's a need for speed, not just every hour, every minute counts, which is why there are people in the air, people in the water, people on the ground right now, because they're looking to save every last life," he said. 19:39:01 Texas-based football teams and NFL donate $1.5m to relief efforts Two Texas-based football teams are donating half a million dollars to aid relief efforts. The Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans are each donating $500,000. It is part of a wider £1.5m donation that is being made alongside the NFL foundation. In a statement, the Dallas Cowboys said it was "standing side by side with The Salvation Army's critical response" and was donating half a million dollars to provide "immediate resources for rescue, relief and long-term recovery efforts".
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Texas flash flooding: 21 children among at least 69 killed; Texas governor giving update
Dozens have been killed in the US state of Texas after heavy rain caused flash flooding.
