3 people are still missing from deadly July 4 floods in Texas county, down from nearly 100
The flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.
Just before daybreak on July 4, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe, washing away homes and vehicles.
The floods laid waste to the Hill Country, a popular tourist destination where campers seek out spots along the river amid the rolling landscape. It is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain.
Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, including Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls. Located in a low-lying area of a region known as 'flash flood alley,' Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors.
The flooding was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and it moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system.
In Kerrville, about 100 miles west of Austin, local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising waters.
President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding.
Crews have been searching for victims using helicopters, boats and drones. Earlier efforts were hampered by rain forecasts, leading some crews to hold off or stop because of worries about more flooding.
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Axios
2 hours ago
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Number missing in Texas floods drops from 97 to 3, Kerr County officials say
The number of people missing in Texas' catastrophic flooding has fallen to three from 160 in the immediate aftermath of the extreme weather event, said Kerr County officials as the search enters a third week. The big picture: The July 4 flooding killed at least 135 people — with 107 fatalities occurring in Kerr County, including children at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls, along the banks of the Guadalupe River. The last missing persons count six days ago was 97. Zoom in: Officials did not immediately detail what accounted for the considerable drop, though Kerrville Police Department's Jonathan Lamb said in a Sunday statement: "This process takes time, but is essential to ensure that every lead is thoroughly followed and each person is properly accounted for." The Kerrville Police Department noted a Saturday Facebook post, "Through extensive follow-up work among state and local agencies, many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list." What's next: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has called a special legislative session on the tragedy that will convene in Austin, starting Monday. "A select committee is expected to conduct a hearing in Kerr County on July 31," according to a Sunday post on the county's Facebook page. What we're watching: "While the updated figure offers some relief, searchers remain focused on reuniting the three individuals who are still unaccounted for with their families," per Lamb's statement. "State and local officials continue to work with urgency and care to locate them, while supporting affected communities through the ongoing recovery process." Between the lines: Scientists say the record rainfall event that triggered the flooding underscores how climate change can make extreme precipitation events even worse.
Politico
16 hours ago
- Politico
3 people are still missing from deadly July 4 floods in Texas county, down from nearly 100
The death toll in Kerr County, 107, held steady for much of this week even as the intensive search continued. The flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio. Just before daybreak on July 4, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe, washing away homes and vehicles. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country, a popular tourist destination where campers seek out spots along the river amid the rolling landscape. It is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain. Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, including Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls. Located in a low-lying area of a region known as 'flash flood alley,' Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors. The flooding was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and it moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system. In Kerrville, about 100 miles west of Austin, local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising waters. President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding. Crews have been searching for victims using helicopters, boats and drones. Earlier efforts were hampered by rain forecasts, leading some crews to hold off or stop because of worries about more flooding.
a day ago
3 people are still missing from deadly July 4 floods in Texas county, down from nearly 100
KERRVILLE, Texas -- Officials in a Texas hill country community pummeled by deadly flooding July 4 said Saturday that just three people remain missing, down from nearly 100, after people who had previously been reported missing have since been accounted for. The reduction in the number of people on the missing list came as the search for victims entered its third week. It was a significant drop from the more than 160 people officials previously said were unaccounted for in Kerr County alone. 'This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice in a statement. The death toll in Kerr County, 107, held steady for much of this week even as the intensive search continued. The Flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio. Just before daybreak on July 4, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe, washing away homes and vehicles. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country, a popular tourist destination where campers seek out spots along the river amid the rolling landscape. It is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain. Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, including Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls. Located in a low-lying area of a region known as 'flash flood alley,' Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors. The flooding was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and it moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system. In Kerrville, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Austin, local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising waters. President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding. Crews have been searching for victims using helicopters, boats and drones. Earlier efforts were hampered by rain forecasts, leading some crews to hold off or stop because of worries about more flooding.
