Texas flooding kills more than 80 as search continues for dozens of people
Rep. Buddy Carter, R-Ga., noted in a post on X that his granddaughters "are safe," but that they "lost their cousin."
"As you may have heard, my granddaughters were at the summer camp in Texas that flooded. They are safe, and I thank you for your well-wishes and prayers during this time," the lawmaker said in a post on Sunday.
"Unfortunately, not everyone was as lucky. My granddaughters lost their cousin, Janie, and many other families are grieving loved ones. Please join me in prayers for Texas. We must ensure that they have the resources they need to find those still missing and save lives."
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., replied to her colleague's post.
"I'm continually praying," Greene noted. "Very thankful your granddaughters are ok! Very sorry for the loss of Janie. And all of those grieving! Truly heartbreaking."
Additional rounds of heavy rainfall are forecast to continue across central Texas through at least Tuesday, raising concerns of further flooding in communities already devastated by storms that passed through the area during the Fourth of July weekend, according to FOX Weather.
As of Monday morning, the National Weather Service said a Flood Watch is in effect for more than a dozen counties in the Austin and San Antonio regions,
through 7 p.m. this evening.
'There remains a threat of flash flooding from slow moving heavy rains overnight and through the day on Monday somewhere over the watch area. Difficult to pinpoint exact locations where isolated heavier amounts will occur,' the NWS said in an advisory.
'An uptick in coverage and intensity of scattered showers and storms is possible overnight near the I-35 corridor and eastern Hill Country, developing west through the day on Monday. 2 to 4 inches of additional rainfall, with isolated amounts up to 10 inches, could fall anywhere over the watch area,' the NWS added.
'Rainfall rates will be very intense in the heaviest showers and storms. Any additional heavy rainfall over hardest hit areas of the past few days will lead to rapid runoff and flash flooding,' it also said.
The disastrous flooding in Texas has left at least 80 people dead, with others still missing.
Per Kerr County officials, 68 have died there:
- 40 adults (18 pending ID)
- 28 children (10 pending ID)
- 10 Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, as well as one counselor
Burnet County:
- 3 dead
- 5 missing
Travis County:
- 6 dead
- 13 missing
Kendall County:
- 2 dead
Tom Green County:
- 1 dead
Williamson County:
- 2 dead
- 2 missing
A United States Coast Guard rescue swimmer from New Jersey is being called a hero after rescuing close to 200 people following flash floods in Central Texas.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, 26, was singled out by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for his efforts saving 165 victims as the only triage coordinator at the scene of the floods.
"United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin (Ruskan), directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas. This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene. Scott Ruskin is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the @USCG," Noem's posted to her social media account on X.
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For the first time since catastrophic flooding killed more than 100 people in Kerr County, Texas, the county emergency management director conceded that he was sick and asleep as the water rose to historic levels on the Guadalupe River. William "Dub" Thomas, the Kerr County Emergency Management Director since 2015, detailed his whereabouts during the crisis to a panel of 18 state lawmakers that hosted the hearing on Thursday in Kerrville, Texas. Thomas said that after working a full day on July 2, he went home sick. He said at the time, no concerns had been raised about an elevated weather condition, "beyond what is typical for the region during the summer." Thomas said he stayed home sick on July 3 and did not participate in two meetings dealing with the Texas emergency management coordination center. Thomas said his supervisors, including the Kerr County sheriff, were aware he was out sick. He said he briefly woke up about 2 p.m. on July 3, but there was no rainfall at the time and no indication of the pending change in the river. He said he went back to sleep. "I was awakened around 5:30 a.m., on July the Fourth by my wife following a call from the city of Kerrville EMC (Emergency Management Coordinator) Jeremy Hughes requesting that I mobilize," Thomas said. He said the call was the first time he realized that an emergency was unfolding. "By approximately 6 a.m., I was coordinating our county's response in close contact with the sheriff, the emergency operation center and Mr. Hughes, working together under rapidly changing and difficult conditions," said Thomas. But other Kerr County officials said by that time, summer camps along the overflowing Guadalupe River were already underwater. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
