Stars React to Texas Floods: Matthew McMonaughey, Khloe Kardashian, Shakira & More Speak Out

Yahoo

2 days ago

Celebrities are speaking out following the devastating floods in Texas over the Fourth of July weekend.
As search-and-rescue operations continue in and around Kerrville, Texas, Matthew McConaughey, Shakira, Khloé Kardashian, and more stars have taken to social media to react to the tragedy, which has claimed the lives of at least 80 people, including 27 children and counselors from the all-girls summer camp, Camp Mystic, according to ABC News.
McConaughey -- who is from Texas -- shared a statement on X, formerly Twitter, asking fans to "lend a helping hand" to those in need amid the tragedy.
"At least 70 lives have been lost, many more are unaccounted for, and countless Texans are hurting -- inside and out," he wrote. "If you're able, please lend a helping hand where and how you can. It's gonna be a long road ahead, but right now the shock, the pain, and the chaos need the steady hand of a neighbor. Texans are some of the most resilient and generous people on the planet."
Singer Shakira announced that she was donating a portion of the proceeds from her San Antonio concert on Saturday night to those impacted.
"Dear San Antonio, Our hearts and prayers are with those affected by the flood in Central Texas. We are donating a portion of tonight's show proceeds to Catholic Charities of San Antonio, who are providing disaster relief to the families impacted," she wrote on X.
"If you would like to join me in donating, please click on the link below. Your help is important and appreciated," she continued, sharing a link to Catholic Charities Archdiocese of San Antonio.
Khloé Kardashian shared a touching post on her Instagram Stories, writing, "I can't stop thinking about the families in Texas and the overwhelming pain they're going through right now."
"As a mother, this kind of tragedy hits in a place words can't reach," the mom of two added. "The loss of those sweet, innocent children is something I can't fully process, there are just no words for this."
Meanwhile, her mom, Kris Jenner, also posted a statement on her Stories.
"My heart is absolutely shattered by the devastating floods in Texas and the unimaginable loss of those previous children. It's a tragedy that's impossible to comprehend and heartbreaking beyond measure," she wrote. "Life is so fragile, and at times unbearably unfair. To the families living this nightmare, we are holding you in our hearts, praying for strength, and grieving alongside you."
Houston-born actress Jennifer Garner also took to her Instagram Stories, writing, "Texas. God, be near."
Hilary Duff -- who was born in Houston -- shared an emotional post on her Instagram.
"Heartbroken doesn't begin to cover it. Consumed. Obsessed. Praying for even a shred of a miracle -- to find a child alive in the wake of this boundless disaster," the actress began in her statement. "Tears fall every time I imagine one of these families receiving bad news ... waiting ... or entire families lost. Just gone. It's just too much to comprehend."
"Beautiful Texas, I love you. To all the boots on the ground -- I love you," she continued. "To face tremendous, impossible loss -- we are looking at their beautiful faces, embossing them in our minds. We will remember them. Bright lights, gone far too soon."
"I was -- and forever will be -- that girl with a wild hearted, fierce love for my barefoot summers at camp in the Texas Hill country," Duff concluded. "It imprints on your soul. It changes your identity. It's a realm of true magic. You could never imagine an ending this tragic. I'm just so deeply, absolutely sorry. Your loss is felt across the world."
Fellow Disney alum Christy Carlson Romano -- who lives in Austin with her family -- also spoke out.
"I'm sitting outside waiting for my daughter at a playdate thinking about how we were almost thinking of Camp Mystic for a camp choice," she said, per E! News. "A lot of people I know send their kids there and a few of them don't know where their kids are or they were just recently reunited with them."
See how more stars -- including Maren Morris, Maria Shriver, and Miranda Lambert -- reacted to the tragedy in the posts, below.
As of Monday morning, at least 68 people are confirmed dead in Kerr County alone, including 28 children, and 80 total from the devastating floodwaters of the Guadalupe River, which rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes early Friday morning, per ABC News.
Officials in Kerr County said that the speed at which the water rose made it impossible for them to issue evacuation orders in time, with Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice telling the outlet, "This happened very quickly, over a very short period of time, that could not be predicted, even with the radar."
At least 27 Camp Mystic campers and counselors have died. According to Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, at least 11 of the 750 campers are still missing.
"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly," Camp Mystic said in a statement, per ABC News.