How Terrain in Texas Hills Turned Stalled Rainstorm Into Flood Disaster
The weather system that caused the flooding was fueled by moist air from the coastal plain that swept up the Hill Country's steep cliffs, condensed overhead, and for hours cascaded down those same cliffs. Narrow canyons then funneled the coursing water into creeks and rivers that rose and turned into deadly flash floods.
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CNN
42 minutes ago
- CNN
This US Coast Guard rescue swimmer is being hailed a hero after saving over 100 people from Texas flooding
Storms Federal agencies HurricanesFacebookTweetLink Follow It was Scott Ruskan's first mission as a US Coast Guard rescue swimmer. The 26-year-old had graduated from rescue swimming school around six months ago when his team got the call from Task Force 1, a local search-and-rescue team in Texas, early Friday morning. They were needed urgently in central Texas where torrential flooding had struck over the July Fourth weekend. Dozens of people were dead, and more were missing. The team deployed around 7 a.m. Friday from Corpus Christi, about 200 miles south of where the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, Texas, had risen from about 3 feet to nearly 30 feet. Floodwaters in the area had swept through and battered several youth camps on the river banks — including Camp Mystic, the summer camp where they were headed. Around 200 campers at the all-girls Christian camp needed to be rescued, Ruskan said. With bridges and roadways overcome by floodwaters and the water too high for boat rescues, the only option was to airlift the girls. Counselors and staff at Camp Mystic had been scrambling to rescue campers, pushing some through cabin windows and putting children on mattresses to help float on the rising water. More than a month's worth of rain dumped on the area, and floodwaters overtook the site. Hundreds of local, state and national first responders had surged to the Kerrville area to help find and rescue survivors. The ongoing urgent response includes Black Hawk helicopters deployed by the Texas National Guard and Air National Guard. What should have been a one-hour flight into the landing zone near the camp took about seven or eight hours, Ruskan told ABC's Good Morning America. The crew battled 'some pretty, pretty nasty weather,' he told CNN, some of the worst he had experienced in his career. It took the team four attempts and the help of the Air National Guard for the aircraft to make its way through the brutal storm, he said. On the ground, Ruskan realized he was the only first responder around and was met with 'about 200 kids, mostly all scared, terrified, cold, having probably the worst day of their life.' But after arriving at Camp Mystic, Ruskan said, the crew was needed at another, more dangerous location. The aircraft could fit more people at the next site without him onboard, and Ruskan could help where he was. The crew decided leaving him behind at Camp Mystic as a triage coordinator at the 'hectic' site was the best option. They were ultimately able to airlift 15 children at the other location without Ruskan on the aircraft. At the camp, Ruskan comforted the distressed children, and heard stories from camp counselors who rushed to push campers out the door before cabins flooded. Some kids had cuts on their feet because they were barefoot. They didn't have time to put on shoes before they scrambled to safety. For around three hours, Ruskan said, he had no communication due to poor radio reception. But any fear he had, he pushed aside to focus on his young charges. 'They're having probably the worst day of their life. They're missing friends. They're missing loved ones,' he said. 'They don't know where they are. Some of them may be unaccounted for. Some of them may be somewhere else.' When the army helicopters were ready to take them to higher ground, Ruskan led the children, about 10 to 15 at a time, to the aircraft, he told ABC. Ruskan helped rescue all 165 campers with him, carrying some to the helicopter to help them avoid slipping on wet rocks or cutting their feet even more. But 27 of the girls' Camp Mystic friends and counselors died in the catastrophic floods, and 10 campers and one counselor are still unaccounted for. The camp's longtime director Dick Eastman also died, trying to rescue campers. At least 95 people have died from the devastating floods. Ruskan has been hailed as an 'American hero' by the Department of Homeland Security. The agency lauded the 'extraordinary bravery and selfless service of Ruskan and his fellow first responders.' But he said the other counselors who helped rescue efforts and the tough kids were also heroes. Seeing how bravely they acted, he said, 'it made me a better rescuer.' CNN's Boris Sanchez, Betsy Klein, Alex Stambaugh, Lauren Mascarenhas, Isaac Yee, and Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Maili wildfire declared fully contained
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Honolulu firefighters battle a wildfire in Maili Sunday afternoon. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @ Honolulu firefighters battle a wildfire in Maili Sunday afternoon. UPDATE : 7 :30 a.m. The Maili wildfire has been fully contained, according to a bulletin sent out by HFD shortly after 7 a.m. The fire was declared fully contained at 1 :24 a.m., although fire crews remain on the scene to extinguish residual hot spots. HFD said they are working on a comprehensive damage assessment. 'Mahalo to the community for their ongoing support, and to our partners at the City, State, and Federal levels for their coordinated efforts to contain the fire and keep our community safe, ' HFD said in the bulletin. PREVIOUS COVERAGE The evacuated Maili neighborhoods are reopened this morning and the Honolulu Fire Department says firefighters have almost completely contained the wildfire that burned two homes and critically injured a 94-year-old woman Sunday. HFD said that as of 1 a.m. today, the fire is 90 % contained and there is just one remaining road closure at Kaukamana Road between Maliona Street and the Hawaii SPCA of Maili. HFD remains on the scene this morning to monitor the situation, officials said. City & County of Honolulu officials deactivated the Emergency Operations Center at about 1 :20 a.m. today following the multi-agency response to the brushfire that began Sunday afternoon. HFD responded to a 2 :33 p.m. 911 call reporting a brushfire near 87-253 Paakea Road in Maili. The first HFD unit arrived at 2 :42 p.m. and requested additional resources as firefighters started battling the wildfire. At 3 :28 p.m., fire officials ordered the evacuation of neighborhoods mauka of Kulaaupuni Road. The fire burned two Maili homes, about 95 acres, and led to the evacuation of about 600 homes in Maili. RELATED STORY : Honolulu Emergency Medical Services paramedics treated a 94-year-old woman for smoke inhalation and second-degree burns, and took her to a hospital in critical condition. Four other people were evaluated for smoke inhalation but refused further treatment, city officials said. According to the American Red Cross, at least 17 people used an emergency evacuation shelter set up at Waianae Intermediate School. HFD has not yet determined the cause of the fire, and no damage estimate was immediately available. Fire officials said the fire was reported as 20 % contained at 4 :43 p.m., 75 % contained at 7 :34 p.m. State Department of Education officials said that summer meal service for children ages 18 and younger would be paused on Monday at Waianae Intermediate and Maili Elementary schools because of the wildfire. Summer school programs at both campuses concluded last week, so no classes have been affected, officials said. National Weather Service forecasters said breezy winds are expected through Tuesday, but winds should peak below advisory level today with no significant rain in the immediate forecast.———Available resources—Residents displaced or directly affected by the Maili fire can contact the American Red Cross at 800-733-2767 to request assistance.—For a list of other summer meal service sites that are available today, visit.—Power outages in Maili can be reported to Hawaiian Electric at 855-304-1212. See more : 2 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
Yahoo
43 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Could Florida experience type of deadly flooding Texas got? History shows it can ... and has
Rescue teams in Texas continue to search for survivors after catastrophic flooding over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The death toll haD increased to 95, including at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp in Kerr County. Rain caused the nearby Guadalupe River to surge over 26 feet in less than five hours, the National Weather Service Austin-San Antonio posted on X. ➤ Live updates: Texas flooding death toll rises; Search continues for missing campers "Texas is grieving right now. The pain, the shock of what has transpired these last few days has broken the heart of our state," said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Can what happened in Texas happen in Florida, where torrential rain from hurricanes and thunderstorms is common? Here's what you should know. Texas Hill Country is no stranger to extreme flooding. It's known for heavy rains that collect in shallow streams and rivers that can burst into torrents like the deadly flood wave that swept along the Guadalupe River on July 4-5. Some reports say the river surged more than 26 feet in less than an hour. Emergency flash flood warnings were sent in the middle of the night, giving residents little time to understand what was happening and to react. The Guadalupe River skyrocketed more than 20 feet in a matter of hours in several locations ➤ Texas flooding help: How to donate without getting scammed Several factors came together at once — in one of the worst possible locations — to create the 'horrifying' scenario that dropped up to 16 inches of rainfall in the region between July 3-5, said Alan Gerard, a recently retired storm specialist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. On July 4, it was a case of everything focusing in "exactly the wrong place." Forecasters said they pushed out warnings as fast as they got the data. But the hilly terrain and the trickiness of predicting flash floods made forecasting and alerting communities along the Guadalupe River in real time particularly challenging. On July 4, rain was falling at 3-4 inches per hour, with some locations recording a deluge of up to 7 inches of rain in just three hours, the National Weather Service said. Kerrville in Kerr County is located about 80 miles west of Austin or 60 miles northwest of San Antonio in south-central Texas. It's more than 200 miles southwest of Dallas. The National Weather Service issues several types of flood-related warnings. A flash flood emergency is issued for "exceedingly rare situations situations when extremely heavy rain is leading to a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage from a flash flood is happening or will happen soon," the National Weather Service said. "Typically, emergency officials are reporting life-threatening water rises resulting in water rescues/evacuations. "This is a life-threatening situation! Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order." A flash flood warning is issued "when dangerous flash flooding is happening or will happen soon. A warning is usually a smaller, more specific area (than a flood watch). This can be issued due to excessive heavy rain or a dam/levee failure. "A flash flood is a sudden violent flood that can take from minutes to hours to develop. It is even possible to experience a flash flood in areas not immediately receiving rain. "This is when you must act quickly as flash floods are an imminent threat to you and your family. You may only have seconds to move to higher ground." Maybe. Wireless Emergency Alerts — called WEAs — are free notifications delivered to your mobile device. To receive the alerts, you need to make sure you have not turned those notifications off. The Wireless Emergency Alerts are limited to flash flood warnings when there is a "threat tag" of considerable or catastrophic, the National Weather Service said. On an iPhone, go to: Settings Notifications Government Alerts (on the bottom of the screen) Turn on the desired alert On an Android, go to: Settings Notifications Wireless emergency alerts (which may be under advanced settings or safety and emergency) Turn on the desired alert Flash flood warnings are the same across the U.S. but some apparently have complained about too many notifications. "Public perception is that the NWS over-alerts FFWs (flash flood warnings), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has noted a large number of complaints about overnight WEAs (Wireless Emergency Alerts) for FFWs with perceived little impact," the National Weather Service said. The NWS added it issues more than 4,000 flash flood warnings every year, with a range of impacts on lives and livelihoods. In response to complaints, the National Weather Service in September 2019 began to reformat its flash flood warnings into a new format and now issues Wireless Emergency Alerts "only for flash flood events that require immediate life-saving action." In addition to the flash flood warning and notification of a flash flood emergency there also are flood warnings, flood advisories and flood watches. A flood warning is issued when the hazardous weather event is imminent or already happening. A flood warning is issued when flooding is imminent or occurring. A flood advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance. A flood advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property, the National Weather Service said. A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur. A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible. There are floods in Florida. Here are types of floods seen in the Sunshine State, according to the National Weather Service: Flash flooding River flooding Tropical systems and coastal flooding Dam breaks/levee failure If you live in a flood-prone area, you're especially vulnerable to hurricane impacts. However, remember that even it you don't live in a flood-prone area, you're not necessarily safe since extreme rain can flood even those areas. Here's how to find out now the flood risk for your area so you can plan accordingly. Go to FEMA's Flood Risk website, Scroll down and enter your zip code and click on Discover Your Risk Look at the map to see if your risk is low, moderate or high You can also enter your address for a more precise view of your risk You can also check NOAA's Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper at Zoom in on the map to see a coastal flood hazard composite showing zones 1 to 11. Okeechobee Hurricane of 1928: A Category 4 hurricane hit Southeast Florida, moved across Lake Okeechobee and then turned north. Major hurricane force northwest winds created a storm surge on the southeast side of the lake which easily overtopped the 4-5 foot dike that was in place. The resulting flood covered an area of hundreds of square miles, with some areas experiencing water over 20 feet deep. The area flooded by the lake was approximately 75 miles wide and 6 miles long. Many of those who survived the flood, along with the bodies of the ones that didn't, were swept by the flood waters into the Everglades, never to be found. The death toll was estimated at more than 2,500. Cape Sable Hurricane of 1947: Approximately 90% of the eastern Florida peninsula south of Orlando was flooded. In all, approximately 5 million square acres of the Florida peninsula was flooded with water ranging from 6 inches deep to 10 feet deep. U.S. 1 flooded and became impassible between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Hurricane Dora 1964: Tides ran 5 to 8 feet or more above normal along the northeast Florida coast. Tides estimated at 12 feet moved across Anastasia Island off St. Augustine. Storm total rainfall of over 10 inches occurred over an estimated 10,000-square-mile area. Mayo recorded the greatest storm total with 23.73 inches of rain. Tropical Storm Fay 2008: Fay made four landfalls in Florida and produced torrential rainfall that cased extensive rainfall. Extreme rainfall total of 27.65 inches was measured near Melbourne, which broke a 50-year old record. There were numerous rainfall reports of more than 20 inches reported across east-central Florida and amounts in excess of 10 inches were common elsewhere across central and northern Florida. Fay's rainfall did benefit Lake Okeechobee, which saw a beneficial 4-foot rise in the water level in less than one week. Tropical Storm Debby 2012: Widespread heavy rain totaling over 10 inches occurred over west central Florida north of Tampa, over the eastern Florida panhandle, and east across portions of northeast Florida. In Panacea, 20.63 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. The peak storm total rainfall occurred in Curtis Mill, which saw 28.78 inches. There was a 29 foot rise in water level on the Sopchoppy River in 30 hours. Across west central Florida, the Suncoast Parkway was closed for a week due to flood waters. Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm-related hazard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water. The next highest percentage of flood-related deaths is due to walking into or near flood waters. People underestimate the force and power of water. Many of the deaths occur in cars swept downstream. Six inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars and just 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks. During the same devastating emergencies when so many people want to help, there will be scammers seeking to take advantage. Before donating to an unfamiliar charity, check them out. ➤ Texas flooding help: How to donate without getting scammed Relief organizations such as the Red Cross and World Central Kitchen have been in the area for days, local groups are gathering supplies and money to help people who were impacted. While there is often an urge to send water, blankets, food and other items, charity organizations aren't ready to handle the logistical nightmare of organizing, sorting, storing and distributing physical goods. Donating money to trusted charities means the money goes to what's needed right now in the places it's needed most. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintains a list of approved charitable organizations. GoFundMe has a dedicated hub of Texas flooding requests that have been verified by GoFundMe to be legitimate. Here's a few national organizations helping victims: American Red Cross World Central Kitchen The Salvation Army All Hands and Hearts Direct Relief Operation Blessing Save the Children Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulver, Christopher Cann, USA TODAY; C.A. Bridges, USA Today Network-Florida This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Flash flood warnings: What to know, what to do. Deadly Florida floods
