Latest news with #KENS5

Newsweek

19-07-2025

Science
Newsweek

Divers Using AI in Texas Flood Recovery

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Recovery teams are facing immense challenges following the deadly floods that ravaged Central Texas two weeks ago, with efforts being complicated by poor visibility, debris-filled rivers, and limited resources. At least one dive team is using a handheld, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered sonar device, called AquaEye which has been called a "game changer" for search and recovery operations along the Guadalupe River, local news station KENS5 reported. Newsweek has reached out to AquaEye via email Saturday during non-working hours for more information on how many devices have been deployed to Texas following the deadly floods. Why It Matters Volunteers, along with local, state and federal rescue crews, are still searching for the over 100 people that are still missing from the floods that overflowed the Guadalupe River that killed at least 135 people. Earlier this week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott extended the disaster declaration to include 26 counties impacted. What To Know Ongoing rain and flash flooding has further complicated efforts to recover people. "Teams have been working on foot from the headwaters of the Guadalupe River to Canyon Lake and back, focused on recovering loved ones and bringing their families closure," Kerr County wrote on Friday in an update on Facebook. At least four teams are using the AquaEye device to aid in these efforts. The device operates much like a radar gun, but for underwater analysis, according to KENS5. Divers submerge the device, pull the trigger, and high-frequency sound waves are emitted, Carlyn Loncaric, founder and CEO of AquaEye, told KENS5. The returning echoes are instantly analyzed by onboard AI to distinguish between debris, rocks, and soft tissue which would likely indicate a human body. Loncaric originally designed the device in 2020 to assist lifeguards and camps in locating drowning victims quickly. She then realized there were more applications it could be used for. "As soon as we started trying to sell it and talk to people, I realized that the need was much greater than I had ever believed," Loncaric told KENS5. "It sends out sound pulses just like any sonar device does. When the echoes return, it analyzes them and uses AI to try to figure out, 'Okay which objects have a high likelihood of being a human being?" Loncaric said that while the device is not infallible, search teams routinely report an 80-90 percent reduction in search times. Its simplicity means rescue teams can initiate scans within seconds, drastically improving response times compared to traditional methods involving boats and extensive crews. Search and rescue operations are performed in the Guadalupe River on July 14 in Kerrville, Texas. Search and rescue operations are performed in the Guadalupe River on July 14 in Kerrville, Texas. Photo byWhat People Are Saying Carlyn Loncaric, founder and CEO of AquaEye, told KENS5 about the device: "It will scan the area of a football field in a minute and pinpoint the location of a victim." Rescue volunteer Courtney Adair told KENS5: "You have about 6-inch visibility, which makes searching almost impossible. AquaEye kind of breaks down that barrier. It extends that search area, the radius to better detect soft tissue that we are looking to recover and investigate." What Happens Next? Recovery efforts are expected to last for months, with federal resources being deployed to assist in the impacted areas.

Miraculous way dog survived biblical Texas floods as he's reunited with family

Daily Mail

12-07-2025

General
Daily Mail

Miraculous way dog survived biblical Texas floods as he's reunited with family

A family in Texas thought they lost their beloved dog forever, until they discovered that their pup survived the devastation by hiding in a washing machine. The Vlaseks narrowly escaped the floods by evacuating their Kerr County home before the vicious floodwaters swept them away. They were forced to leave their dog behind amid the chaos. The family of three fortunately made it to higher ground, but returned to their home to find nothing but rubble. Cody Vlasek, a high school senior, was forced to reckon with the grim reality that his childhood home and his dog were gone forever. Then he heard noises that sounded like an animal. 'I had to break my window, and when I climbed through, I heard scratching and a whimper,' Cody recalled to local ABC affiliate, KENS5. 'I turned my head around the corner and saw him just floating in the washer.' The miracle was a small silver lining in the tragedy that claimed over 129 lives and left at least 160 individuals unaccounted for across Kerr County. Cody recalled the terrifying moment he saw flood waters engulfing his home, before yelling to his parents that they had to evacuate. He told KENS5 that their house was almost 30 feet away from the floodplain of the Guadalupe River. The family awoke in the middle of the night to heavy rain, and Cody went outside with his father to see that the water had already reached their backyard fence. 'The current — it almost, almost tripped some of us,' the high schooler said. The family rushed to escape their home and made it to safety at a neighbor's house uphill. Cody said the water had reached his waist when they evacuated. They returned to find their house was demolished, and many of their neighbors didn't make it out. 'You can replace a house, but you can't replace lives,' Cody told KENS5. Search efforts have continued to locate the missing individuals as authorities grapple with accusations that evacuations were delayed. Among the victims of the flood were 27 young girls from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp that took the brunt of the flood. The youngest campers, many under the age of 10, were staying in cabins closest to the river and lost their lives. On Friday, President Donald Trump visited the flood path with First Lady Melania Trump. The president and first lady joined republican lawmakers, federal officials, Governor Greg Abbott, and Senator Ted Cruz. After the visit, Trump held a roundtable discussion with local and federal law makers. When a reporter asked him why alerts weren't sent to residents in the flood path sooner, Trump fired back, 'Only a bad person would ask a question like that.' 'To be honest with you, I don't know who you are, but only a very evil person would ask a question like that.' Abbott said in a tweet on Friday night that rescue teams would continue to search for the missing individuals. 'We are unrelenting. The families deserve nothing less,' he said.

Dramatic Video Captures Moment Woman Clinging to Tree Branch after Being Swept 20 Miles Downstream During Texas Floods Is Rescued [WATCH]

International Business Times

05-07-2025

International Business Times

Dramatic Video Captures Moment Woman Clinging to Tree Branch after Being Swept 20 Miles Downstream During Texas Floods Is Rescued [WATCH]

Dramatic video captured the moment emergency workers rescued a young woman after she was dragged 20 miles down the Guadalupe River by powerful floodwaters in Texas. Photos showed the terrified woman clinging to tree branches as the swollen rapids surged below her during the deadly Fourth of July floods. The 22-year-old woman, whose identity has yet not been revealed, was found desperately hanging onto the branches of a Cypress tree, high above the ground, as powerful floodwaters raged beneath her, according to KENS5. A nearby homeowner in Center Point heard her cries for help and quickly came to her rescue—just in time. Luckily the woman was saved in time. Surviving the Force of the Nature "I hear you, I see you," the homeowner reassured the woman, according to the local news station. The man, whose name was not revealed, tried calling 911, but there was no response from the inundated emergency hotline. Unable to get through to emergency services, the man ran into the street and flagged down nearby first responders who were already involved in search and rescue efforts. Rescue teams launched boats to locate the woman, who had been trapped in the tree for several hours. By the time they arrived, the floodwaters had receded by about 10 feet, and the woman had to take a leap of faith, jumping from the tree into the waiting boat. The unidentified woman miraculously survived with only minor cuts and bruises—an incredible outcome given that she was swept across four dams and narrowly avoided being hit by refrigerators and cars carried by the floodwaters. She had been camping with her parents and other relatives at a campground in Ingram when the rapidly rising river tore her from her tent, according to KENS5. Her family tried to flee in a vehicle, but it too was swept away by the raging waters. It remains unknown whether the woman's family made it out alive. Young Lives Lost At least two of the missing girls from Camp Mystic were found dead during the overnight search and rescue operations in Texas on Friday, according to family and local reports. Renee Smajstrla, 8, and Janie Hunt, 9, were among as many as 25 campers swept away by the devastating flash floods in the Guadalupe River. "Thank you to all our friends and family for all the prayers and outreach. Renee has been found and while not the outcome we prayed for, the social media outreach likely assisted the first responders in helping to identify her so quickly," her uncle wrote on Facebook along with a picture of the young girl. "We are thankful she was with her friends and having the time of her life, as evidenced by this picture from yesterday. She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic. Please continue to pray for the other families in Kerrville." Janie was also found dead, according to Corpus Christi Crónica. The 9-year-old's mother told CNN on Friday that she hadn't received any information about her daughter's whereabouts since the flood struck the camp. "We are just praying," Janie's mother had said. It remains unclear whether any other campers have been confirmed dead, but local reports suggest that some of the girls were rescued and taken to centers where they could be reunited with their families. So far, 24 people have been confirmed dead, including Heart O' the Hills Director Jane Ragsdale. Between 23 and 25 girls from the Christian overnight camp—which welcomes girls aged 7 to 17—were carried away by the powerful floods early Friday morning, including several who had been inside cabins that were swept away. The National Weather Service said that the Guadalupe River—which runs alongside Camp Mystic in the San Antonio suburb of Hunt—surged over 20 feet within just 90 minutes, marking the worst flooding the area has experienced since 1987. A flood warning was issued at 4 a.m., when most residents were still asleep. Search efforts continued into Saturday morning as rainfall continued across Hill County. Officials warned that the risk of additional flash flooding remained high, with alerts in place from San Antonio to Waco for the next 24 to 48 hours. The Guadalupe River also flooded parts of Kerr County in 1987, sweeping away a church bus and killing 10 teenagers. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said that the campgrounds currently lack an official warning system.

Al Arabiya

14-06-2025

Climate
Al Arabiya

At least 10 dead in flooding in Texas

Flooding from heavy rains in the southern US state of Texas led to at least 10 deaths, officials reported Friday, with several additional people reported missing. Intense downpours hit Thursday morning in the city of San Antonio, Texas, causing flash flooding on roads which pushed vehicles off the streets into a nearby creek bed, according to local broadcaster KENS5. The station reported the San Antonio Fire Department was searching for at least four additional victims. City officials reported the death toll had reached 10 fatalities by Friday afternoon. 'Our hearts are with the families of those we've lost to this week's flash floods and the families who continue searching for their loved ones,' San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg said in a post on X. 'I want to personally thank our San Antonio first responders and their families for their sacrifices toward the recovery efforts.' City officials said first responders had conducted over 70 water rescues and 16 high water investigations since the flooding began. Scientists have long warned that climate change driven by man-made fossil fuel emissions is increasing the likelihood, intensity and length of extreme weather events such as torrential rains.

Jonathan Joss murder investigators walk back dismissal of homophobic hate crime claims: ‘Way, way, way premature'

New York Post

05-06-2025

Entertainment
New York Post

Jonathan Joss murder investigators walk back dismissal of homophobic hate crime claims: ‘Way, way, way premature'

Detectives investigating 'King of the Hill' actor Jonathan Joss' murder walked back their dismissal of homophobic hate crime claims — admitting it was 'way premature' to rule the possibility out. 'We issued a statement the day after Jonathan Joss's murder that was way, way, way premature,' San Antonio Police Chief William McManus told reporters Thursday. 'We shouldn't have done it.' Joss' husband took to social media a day after his Sunday murder to claim the shooting was carried out by a bigoted neighbor who'd been harassing them over their sexuality for years — and that the gunman was spewing homophobic slurs as he pulled the trigger. Advertisement Tristan Kern de Gonzales with his husband, actor Jonathan Joss, who was gunned down Sunday. Facebook/Jonathan Joss The San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) quickly rebuked those allegations, however, writing within hours on X that investigators had found 'no evidence to indicate that Mr. Joss's murder was related to his sexual orientation' — but now seems to be changing its tune. 'It was way too soon before we had any real information, and I will own that,' McManus said. Advertisement The chief didn't comment on whether investigators were now looking into homophobia as a motivator for the suspect arrested at the scene — Joss' 56-year-old next-door neighbor Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez — instead explaining that in Texas, hate crimes are not separate charges, but rather enhancements at sentencing time. 'They are addressed through sentencing enhancements. So, for example, if someone's arrested for a class B misdemeanor and a hate crime designation attaches to that charge, then that Class B misdemeanor is elevated to a class A misdemeanor,' McManus said, according to KENS 5. Joss — a 59-year-old who played 'John Redcorn' on 'King of the Hill' — was gunned down in his driveway Sunday evening after he stopped by his property to pick up his mail, but got into a heated argument with someone and wound up dead on the ground. Suspect Sigfredo Ceja Alvarez in his booking photo. He's accused of murder. Getty Images Advertisement His husband, Tristan Kern de Gonzales, claimed they'd found the remains of a beloved pet dog they'd recently lost in a property fire displayed out front, and that they became distraught at the sight. A neighbor whom Joss had been butting heads with for years then came over and started arguing with them, Gonzales claimed, then pulled out a rifle and killed the actor. After police initially refuted Gonzales' claims, numerous residents on the street revealed Joss hadn't been the best neighbor and recounted stories of him stalking up and down the block while screaming and wielding weapons. Advertisement But they also corroborated claims about a years-long feud between Joss and Alvarez, with some describing hearing gunshots ringing from both men's properties at odd hours of the night. That conflict and others with Joss resulted in more than 70 police calls to his property over the past two years, Chief McManus revealed Thursday. 'Sometimes he was the caller. Other times the neighbors were calling on him. Our safe unit, our mental health unit had extensive engagements with Mr. Joss, making repeated efforts to mediate conflicts,' the chief said.