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CBS News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Number missing from devastating Texas floods drops sharply to 3, officials say
The number of people missing in Texas Hill Country following the deadly flooding which struck the region over the Fourth of July holiday weekend has plummeted significantly, officials announced Saturday. The Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center determined that three people are still missing from the floods, the city of Kerrville said in a news release. That is a sharp drop from the approximately 100 people authorities had previously said were unaccounted for. "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," the city said in its news release. "This has been an ongoing effort as investigators worked diligently to verify reports of missing persons and confirm their status." Kerrville is the county seat of Kerr County, which was hard-hit by the historic flooding. It is located about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio. "We are profoundly grateful to the more than 1,000 local, state, and federal authorities who have worked tirelessly in the wake of the devastating flood that struck our community," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a statement. "Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three." Recovery efforts for those missing are continuing along the Guadalupe River watershed, officials added, with local, state, federal and international search and rescue teams involved. The flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County. The Hill Country is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain. Earlier this week, state officials reduced the number of people unaccounted from approximately 160 to about 100 in Kerr and other counties. State, federal and international resources were poured into rescue efforts, which were hindered by more rain in mid-July. Kerr County officials also said earlier this week the number of missing people decreased as victims were recovered, contact was made with people who were found safe, and some reports were found to be unsubstantiated or falsified. Also, they said, the missing list fluctuates as reports come into a hotline. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country. Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County, and Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe. At least 27 of its campers and counselors died. Many of the campers who died were the camp's youngest attendees. The Texas Legislature is scheduled to convene Monday for a special session. Gov. Greg Abbott initially called lawmakers back to the Texas State Capitol in Austin hoping legislators would pass a measure to regulate a booming business in THC products after he vetoed a bill that would have banned them. Since the flooding, President Donald Trump has also told the Republicans who control state government to redraw congressional districts to help the GOP's chances of retaining a U.S. House majority in next year's midterm elections. Now, Abbott and other legislative leaders have added flooding-related issues to the agenda. Abbott said lawmakers would also review authorities' handling of the flooding and consider improving warning systems for Hill Country residents. Kerr County does not have a warning system because state and local agencies missed opportunities over the past decade to finance one. Trump and 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. The president, who visited the area on July 11, called a reporter "evil" for raising such issues and said he thought "everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances." Abbott dismissed a question about who was to blame for the deaths as "the word choice of losers" and used an analogy that began: "Every football team makes mistakes." "The way winners talk is not to point fingers," he concluded. Abbott has designated bills dealing with early warning systems and emergency communications as priorities for the Legislature's special session, scheduled to last 30 days. The House and Senate have formed special committees on flooding and disaster preparedness, and they're planning a July 31 visit to Kerrville, the seat of hardest-hit Kerr County, to hear comments from residents. The committees are scheduled to begin with a joint hearing Wednesday to consider the state's response to the fatal floods; planning for floods; infrastructure for managing floods; and communications among first responders. Washington senator Maria Cantwell said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that there is a "national responsibility" for the federal government to improve forecasting systems. One bill already introduced by Republican Rep. Don McLaughlin would require the state's top public health official to set building standards for youth camps in 100-year floodplains — which FEMA defines as a high-risk area with a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. During a recent news conference, Republican state Rep. Drew Darby, a member of the House's committee, said lawmakers cannot bring back flood victims or undo the flooding. "But what we can do is learn from it," he said.
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
'Code Red': Texas recovery effort halted amid new flash flood fears. Live updates
Thunderstorms and the threat from rising waters in south central Texas on Sunday hampered the grim search for survivors and victims of the flooding that swept through the region more than a week ago, killing over 100 people and leaving devastation in its wake. All search and recovery operations along the Guadalupe River were suspended. Rescue personnel, equipment and vehicles "should be removed from the river area immediately," Kerr County officials said in social media posts Sunday. It warned that up to 2 inches of rain could fall in an hour. "Volunteer operations are currently suspended until further notice. All self-deployed volunteers need to heed this warning as well for their safety," the posts said. "Safety of lives is the highest priority." The National Weather Service warned that locally heavy rainfall of 2-4 inches − isolated areas could possibly be overwhelmed with another 9-12 inches −could lead to flash flooding. The flood watch was in effect until 7 p.m. local time Sunday. The confirmed death toll from the July 4 flooding had risen to 129 on Saturday, including 103 in Kerr County alone. Kerr was one of more than a dozen counties listed in the weather service advisory. Developments: ∎ The Kerr County Sheriff's Office issued a "Code Red" message Sunday. "This is not an evacuation, but a preparation notification," the sheriff's office said in the social media post. "Be prepared to evacuate along the Guadalupe River due to bad weather and flooding." ∎ A candlelight vigil planned for Sunday in Ingram was postponed because of the flood threat. No new date was announced. Texas flooding death toll rises: New flood watch in effect Kerr County braces for more rain The Kerr County death toll has risen 67 adults and 36 children, according to the county's Joint Information Center. That includes at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp. Scores of residents remain missing, although it was not clear how many might have fled to safety ahead of the disaster. And officials were bracing for more flooding issues. "There is an increasing confidence that rainfall totals of 1-3 inches could fall on what is already saturated ground," the county said in a statement on its website. The statement urged residents to watch for weather service alerts and to "stay safe out there." 'Mystic Girls' mourn camp kids, counselors who died The deaths at the camp has stunned and saddened the world. The mourners include the "Mystic Girls," as former campers call themselves. They remember the innocence of a place and time where they say they found the best version of themselves, a place that made them who they are. Allie Coates, now 25 and a social media manager in Los Angeles, still has a silver bracelet filled with charms from her time at camp, including an M for the most improved at canoeing. 'It was a safe space to be weird and awkward, where we could be silly and just be ourselves,' Coates told USA TODAY. 'Just to be girls.' Read more here. − Laura Trujillo Timeline a mystery for recovery of remains Past disasters of similar scope have left families waiting for months, years and even decades to recover loved ones, said Chris Boyer, executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue. He pointed to Hurricane Helene, where at least five people, including Yevhenni and Novitnia, were never found. And two decades after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, killing more than 1,800 people, about 30 have yet to be identified, said Jason Melancon of the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office. For authorities on the ground, deciding when to call off search parties or shift them into full recovery mode is 'a highly emotional decision,' especially in more rural areas, Boyer said. 'There's no describing how to tell a family that you're done searching for their loved one and that they may never get the remains back,' said Boyer, who has led recovery crews in aviation disasters. Read more here. − Rick Jervis and Christopher Cann
USA Today
13-07-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Devastated Texas braces for new storms as grim recovery presses on: Live updates
A flood watch was in effect Sunday in parts of Texas where a grim search continued for survivors and victims of the deadly flooding that swept through the region more than a week ago. "Locally heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding across portions of south central Texas," the National Weather Service said in an advisory pubished early Sunday. The advisory warned of another 2-4 inches falling in the region − and isolated areas could be overwhelmed with another 9-12 inches. The flood watch was in effect until 7 p.m. local time Sunday. The confirmed death toll from the July 4 flooding had risen to 129 on Saturday, including 103 in Kerr County alone. Kerr was one of more than a dozen counties listed in the advisory. The Kerr County Sheriff's Office issued a "code red" message Sunday. "This is not an evacuation, but a preparation notificiation," the sheriff's office said in the social media post. "Be prepared to evaucation along the Guadalupe River due to bad weather and flooding." Texas flooding death toll rises: New flood watch in effect Kerr County braces for more rain The Kerr County death toll has risen 67 adults and 36 children, according to the county's Joint Information Center. That includes at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp. Scores of residents remain missing, although it was not clear how many might have fled to safety ahead of the disaster. And officials were bracing for more flooding issues. "There is an increasing confidence that rainfall totals of 1-3 inches could fall on what is already saturated ground," the county said in a statement on its website. The statement urged residents to watch for weather service alerts and to "stay safe out there." Former campers mourn kids, counselors who died The deaths at the camp has stunned and saddened the world. The mourners include the "Mystic Girls," as former campers call themselves. They remember the innocence of a place and time where they say they found the best version of themselves, a place that made them who they are. Allie Coates, now 25 and a social media manager in Los Angeles, still has a silver bracelet filled with charms from her time at camp, including an M for the most improved at canoeing. 'It was a safe space to be weird and awkward, where we could be silly and just be ourselves,' Coates told USA TODAY. 'Just to be girls.' Read more here. − Laura Trujillo Timeline a mystery for recovery of remains Past disasters of similar scope have left families waiting for months, years and even decades to recover loved ones, said Chris Boyer, executive director of the National Association for Search and Rescue. He pointed to Hurricane Helene, where at least five people, including Yevhenni and Novitnia, were never found. And two decades after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast in 2005, killing more than 1,800 people, about 30 have yet to be identified, said Jason Melancon of the Orleans Parish Coroner's Office. For authorities on the ground, deciding when to call off search parties or shift them into full recovery mode is 'a highly emotional decision,' especially in more rural areas, Boyer said. 'There's no describing how to tell a family that you're done searching for their loved one and that they may never get the remains back,' said Boyer, who has led recovery crews in aviation disasters. Read more here. − Rick Jervis and Christopher Cann
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Texas flooding death toll rises; Kerrville overwhelmed by generosity: Updates
Search crews continued the grueling task of recovering the missing as more potential flash flooding threatened Texas Hill Country. Over a week since an inundated Guadalupe River sent floodwaters tearing through homes and youth camps in Texas, optimism for rescuing any of the dozens of people still missing from Hill Country on Saturday has steadily faded as the death toll continued to rise. Hundreds of rescuers, many of them volunteers, have scoured miles of destruction for any sign of the missing. But they haven't rescued anyone alive since July 4, the day of the flood, officials in the hardest-hit Kerr County said. Some 160 people are missing from the county alone. As of the morning of July 12, the death toll had risen to at least 129, with authorities in Kerr and Travis counties reporting more bodies recovered. The toll in Kerr County rose to at least 103, including 67 adults and 36 children, according to the county's Joint Information Center. In Travis County, the toll rose to nine from eight, spokesperson Hector Nieto confirmed to USA TODAY. Officials previously said at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, the beloved all-girls Christian camp, were among the dead. "I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen a lot of bad ones," President Donald Trump said as he and first lady Melania Trump surveyed the damage on Friday. "It's hard to believe the devastation." In Kerrville, community's generosity has surpassed some needs The overwhelming response from community members near and far has become too generous, officials in Kerrville said on Saturday. The Kerrville Police Department said so many people have brought food for its staff, some has gone to waste. All its needs, including meals, are taken care of, the police department said. The police department also asked law enforcement officers in the region to stop showing up unannounced to help, as it is coordinating with agencies to assign officers to certain tasks. On Friday, the city of Kerrville asked volunteers to stop coming to help, as the most urgent needs are being handled by first responders and families within the community who were affected by the flooding. "Your generosity and support mean more than words can express," the city said. "Please don't lose heart – your help WILL be needed. As the days and weeks unfold, there will be many opportunities to step in and support our neighbors. We promise to share updates as specific volunteer needs arise." What happens if they aren't found? Grim reality sets in More than 10 months after Hurricane Helene spawned floods that ripped through western North Carolina last year, the bodies of Lysa Gindinova's 3-year-old cousin, Yevhenii Segen, and their grandmother, Tatiana Novitnia, have still not been found. The two were swept away by floodwaters, and the family wrestles with the fact they may never see them again. 'It doesn't feel real,' Gindinova told USA TODAY. Families in Texas are starting to face that same haunting realization after the deadly Hill Country flash floods as volunteers continue to scour the region for the missing. Much like last year's North Carolina floods, the Texas floods left behind mountains of debris: piles of crushed trailers and cars, stacks of downed cypress trees and walls of hardened mud that make recovery challenging. The amount of debris and destruction have made the grim task slow and taxing. Troy Tillman, 34, a sheriff's detective from just outside Lubbock, Texas, described uncovering a Ford F-250 pickup – completely submerged in mud and rock along the Guadalupe in Center Point, about 10 miles downriver from Kerrville. If a 3-ton truck like that is buried, Tillman thought, what else could be entombed at their feet? Read more. ‒ Rick Jervis and Christopher Cann Volunteers expected to help with recovery Saturday Kerr County said it is expecting a large number of "spontaneous volunteers" to help with recovery efforts on Saturday. Volunteers have been a key part of search and rescue in the days since the flood, with officials sometimes asking volunteers to stay away so qualified personnel can conduct some of the grueling work. Volunteers are asked to register with Texas Community Recovery and check in at Tivy Antler Stadium in Kerrville before attending a safety briefing. Officials continue to grapple with question of blame Officials in Texas have faced relentless questions about what could have been done to prevent the high death toll and short amount of warning time in the Hill Country flooding. In Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha has said he's not dodging the questions, but is focusing on the top priority of locating each missing person and identifying each victim found. Trump on Friday rejected concerns about whether communities along the Guadalupe River were adequately prepared for the disaster. 'I think everybody did an incredible job under the circumstances,' Trump said. 'Only a very evil person would ask a question like that.' Gov. Greg Abbott earlier in the week said "blame" was the "word choice of losers." Is more flooding on the way? As cleanup and recovery continues in Texas Hill Country, a renewed threat of flash flooding is in store over the weekend, forecasters said. Scattered showers are expected to develop Saturday afternoon and evening in south-central Texas, including parts of areas that already flooded. Heavy rain can quickly run off already wet ground, forecasters said. In Kerrville, there is about a 35% chance of an inch of rain falling through Sunday morning, the weather service office serving Austin and San Antonio said. "The expected heavy rainfall totals along with already sensitive, wet antecedent conditions may lead to scattered to potentially numerous instances of flash flooding," the National Weather Service said. Abbott activated emergency response resources on Friday at the Texas Division of Emergency Management in response to the forecast: "Texas continues to stand ready to deploy all necessary resources to support Texans as severe storms move across our state,' he said. Over 13.5 million people were under flood watches from the National Weather Service across parts of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico on Saturday morning. How many died in Texas flooding? Here's a breakdown of the Texas flooding death toll, according to county officials: Contributing: Christopher Cann, Joey Garrison, Bart Jansen, Karissa Waddick and Michael Loria, USA TODAY
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Texas flooding death toll rises amid weekend flash flooding risk
Search crews continued the grueling task of recovering the missing as more potential flash flooding threatened Texas Hill Country. Over a week since an inundated Guadalupe River sent floodwaters tearing through homes and youth camps in Texas, optimism for rescuing any of the dozens of people still missing from Hill Country on Saturday has steadily faded as the death toll continued to rise. Hundreds of rescuers, many of them volunteers, have scoured miles of destruction for any sign of the missing. But they haven't rescued anyone alive since July 4, the day of the flood, officials in the hardest-hit Kerr County said. Some 160 people are missing from the county alone. As of the morning of July 12, the death toll had risen to at least 129, with authorities in Kerr and Travis counties reporting more bodies recovered. The toll in Kerr County rose to at least 103, including 67 adults and 36 children, according to the county's Joint Information Center. In Travis County, the toll rose to nine from eight, spokesperson Hector Nieto confirmed to USA TODAY. Officials previously said at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, the beloved all-girls Christian camp, were among the dead. "I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen a lot of bad ones," President Donald Trump said as he and first lady Melania Trump surveyed the damage on Friday. "It's hard to believe the devastation." Volunteers expected to help with recovery Saturday Kerr County said it is expecting a large number of "spontaneous volunteers" to help with recovery efforts on Saturday. Volunteers have been a key part of search and rescue in the days since the flood, with officials sometimes asking volunteers to stay away so qualified personnel can conduct some of the grueling work. Volunteers are asked to register with Texas Community Recovery and check in at Tivy Antler Stadium in Kerrville before attending a safety briefing. Officials continue to grapple with question of blame Officials in Texas have faced relentless questions about what could have been done to prevent the high death toll and short amount of warning time in the Hill Country flooding. In Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha has said he's not dodging the questions, but is focusing on the top priority of locating each missing person and identifying each victim found. Trump on Friday rejected concerns about whether communities along the Guadalupe River were adequately prepared for the disaster. 'I think everybody did an incredible job under the circumstances,' Trump said. 'Only a very evil person would ask a question like that.' Gov. Greg Abbott earlier in the week said "blame" was the "word choice of losers." Is more flooding on the way? As cleanup and recovery continues in Texas Hill Country, a renewed threat of flash flooding is in store over the weekend, forecasters said. Scattered showers are expected to develop Saturday afternoon and evening in south-central Texas, including parts of areas that already flooded. Heavy rain can quickly run off already wet ground, forecasters said. In Kerrville, there is about a 35% chance of an inch of rain falling through Sunday morning, the weather service office serving Austin and San Antonio said. "The expected heavy rainfall totals along with already sensitive, wet antecedent conditions may lead to scattered to potentially numerous instances of flash flooding," the National Weather Service said. Abbott activated emergency response resources on Friday at the Texas Division of Emergency Management in response to the forecast: "Texas continues to stand ready to deploy all necessary resources to support Texans as severe storms move across our state,' he said. Over 13.5 million people were under flood watches from the National Weather Service across parts of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico on Saturday morning. How many died in Texas flooding? Here's a breakdown of the Texas flooding death toll, according to county officials: Contributing: Christopher Cann, Joey Garrison, Bart Jansen, Karissa Waddick and Michael Loria, USA TODAY
