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Live updates: Everything to know about the Hill Country flooding
At least 109 people have died in Central Texas — and 161 are still missing in Kerr County alone — after flooding inundated the region over the weekend, officials said Tuesday. At least 30 children are among the dead. Five campers and one counselor with Camp Mystic are still missing.
Kendall County reports no residents killed in floods, and cleanup begins on Wednesday
Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk reported on Tuesday that no Kendall County residents lost their lives in the flood, and the cleanup along the Guadalupe River is about to begin.
“Our local first responders, along with state and federal agencies, have completed their primary and secondary search and recovery missions along the Guadalupe River," he explained. "These teams search by air, water, on foot and with canine units. To date, nine missing victims from upstream communities have been recovered within Kendall County.”
The county's cleanup begins on Wednesday. Deputy Fire Marshal Brady Constantine said the cleanup could take six to eight weeks. He urged property owners to separate items by following these guidelines:
“The debris should be stacked and separated into the following categories: electronics, televisions, computers, stereos, stuff of that nature, large appliances, refrigerators, washers, dryers, air conditioners, hazardous waste, oil, battery, pesticides, paint, cleaning supplies, and then vegetative debris, such as tree limbs, branches, logs and plants also separate from construction debris, building materials, dry wall lumber, carpet and furniture.”
The county has divided the damaged areas into five divisions, west-to-east: with Alpha starting at Comfort, moving east to Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Echo. Crews will start around Comfort and move eastward across the southern part of Kendall County.
Select committees from Texas Legislature visit Kerrville on Thursday
Two select committees with the Texas Legislature are expected to travel to Kerrville on Thursday to hear from residents about the deadly floods.
The committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding first met in the Texas Capitol last week to hear testimony from emergency management officials, weather forecasters, and other experts.
Locals from Kerrville will now have the opportunity to testify in front of the panels.
A proposed bill being carried this special session focuses on how Texas would get an early flood warning system.
Kerrville declares a water supply emergency
The City of Kerrville declared on Monday a water supply emergency for the city’s water system.
City officials say this is due to the continuing inoperable status of Kerrville’s water treatment plant following the flooding to Nimitz Lake and its impact on intake equipment.
Stage 4 water conservation efforts went into effect at midnight. Automatic and hose-end sprinklers and soaker hoses are prohibited at all times of the day.
The city will continue to rely on groundwater wells to meet current water usage demands while plant repairs are ongoing.
Kendall County officials brief residents on recovery efforts, debris plan, at 4 p.m.
Kendall County will host a press conference at 4 p.m. to update residents on the next steps of flood recovery efforts.
The county is also expected to unveil its debris management plan.
At least nine people in Kendall County died earlier this month as a result of the floods.
USDA assisting flooded farmers and ranchers across the Hill Country
The USDA is on the ground in Kerr County and across the Hill Country to help farmers and ranchers recover from the July flooding.
Agriculture producers in 16 Texas counties have until Sept. 11 to apply for federal assistance.
Jeff Dudensing, a chief of conservation at the USDA, said the federal agency offers a cost share program that reimburses farmers and ranchers for up to 75 or 90% of replacement costs.
There is a limit per individual of up to $500,000 but there are no limits on personal worth to apply.
The USDA is assisting with applications for federal aid at its Farm Service Agency at 2104 Memorial Boulevard in Kerrville.
Applicants can also contact the Kerrville office at 830-896-4911, Ext. 2. Farmers and ranchers can also learn more at usda.gov.
Kerr County commissioners delay public talks on property tax hike until Aug. 4
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly and fellow county commissioners put off public discussions on possibly raising the property tax rate temporarily to help pay for flood recovery until their Aug. 4 meeting. Property taxes fund the county budget, and the budget process is underway.
Revenue from property taxes was expected to take a big hit due to flood damage that has reduced property appraisals by $240 million.
Kimber Malcom of Heart O' the Hills camp said the flood devastation of the camping industry will have a ripple effect in the local economy.
"What we are experiencing is an economic disaster," she said. "It's a domino effect. Summer camps get people to come out. All those people come to our restaurants. They come to our hotels, our rental properties. You know, we're able to contribute to the schools."
The camps have been rocked by the flood, property appraisal plunges and now cancellations by campers and their parents who do not wish to return next summer.
Kerr County judge lifts burn ban for areas unaffected by floods
Rob Kelly announced during the county commissioners' meeting that he had a lifted the burn ban for unaffected areas, effective Monday.
"I've lifted the burn ban on a limited basis," he explained. "If you call into the sheriff's office and the dispatcher, there's a record kept of that, and that is your formal permit to burn. If you don't do it, you don't have a permit ... you will be fined."
The fine is $500. Burn piles must not be left unattended. Only daytime burning is permitted and burn piles should be extinguished by the time evening darkness sets in. Kelly said volunteer fire departments have been directed to extinguish fires that are not put out by then.
The judge said no burning is allowed in affected or previously flooded areas along the river, described as highwater mark to highwater mark.
Kelly said once the state confirms areas are clear of human remains, the county plans to rotate burning through a series of zones so the county is not all lit up at once.
Kerr County: 2 people still missing
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly reported on Monday that there are still two people missing following deadly Fourth of July flooding.
More than 100 people were killed by the flooding along the Guadalupe River, which sent debris-clogged waters sweeping through campgrounds, parks, and low-lying homes.
FEMA offers assistance to disability community affected by floods
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing financial assistance for members of the disability community affected by recent floods in the Hill Country and Central Texas.
FEMA can cover the full cost of an exterior ramp, grab bars or a paved path of travel from a residents' vehicle to their home, provided the items are not covered by insurance or an outside source.
Eligible applicants may request certain items if residents' homes were storm-damaged between July 2 and July 18 in Central Texas.
Apply for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
County singers raise millions of dollars for flood relief
County singer George Strait raised millions of dollars for Hill Country flood victims at an intimate, one-night-only benefit concert in Boerne on Sunday.
The sold out-show at a $1,000-a-seat featured only 1,000 guests, including U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott. Local first responders were admitted for free.
The show featured a surprise appearance by fellow country music legend Garth Brooks.
The lineup also included performances by Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel, Wade Bowen, and Dean Dillon, who wrote many of Strait's hits, including "The Chair" and "Ocean Front Property."
Cruz tweeted that the event raised $6 million for the nonprofit Vaqueros Del Mar Texas Flood Relief Fund.
Strait had said that the concert’s goal was to raise immediate support that can be put directly into the hands of flood victims without delay, while also honoring the first responders that worked tirelessly to save lives.
If people still want to donate, there is a link at georgestrait.com.
Kerr County flood relief coming from all over, including kids' lemonade stands and even Canada
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country announced a second round of flood relief grants in Kerr County following the deadly Fourth of July flooding.
The grants will help the community get back on its feet.
The foundation announced on Friday it has handed out more than $4-million dollars from the Kerr County Relief Fund. The largest at $1.2 million went to the Ingram School District to get classes ready for the start of the new school year.
Foundation CEO Austin Dixon said they've collected $60 million for flood relief.
"All of these donations have come from all over the country and some all over the world," he said. "We've tried to figure out through our legal counsel how to cash Canadian checks because we're getting support from far and wide."
"The largest donation that we received is a $5 million donation check, and we've also received check for $1 in the mail."
Dixon also told stories of getting donations from kids' lemonade stands. And he told the story about a woman who drove up in her beat-up vehicle to donate $25,000, money she had been saving for a new car for herself.
Disclosure: The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country is a TPR sponsor. We cover them like we would any other organization.
FEMA opens disaster recovery center in Hunt
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is opening a disaster recovery center on Friday, July 25, in Kerr County.
The location at LJ Vineyards is located off state Highway 39 in Hunt. It will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to assist survivors who've suffered damages or losses from severe flooding.
Survivors have until September 4th to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.
San Antonio Food Bank has enough food and water for flood relief efforts
The San Antonio Food Bank has been in Kerrville receiving donations of perishable food and water.
The donations have been so abundant that they are bringing them back to San Antonio to quickly distribute them before they spoil.
Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper tells TPR's "The Source" that the donations of water have been overwhelming:
“There’s so much water being donated we’ve had enough, it’s good, but thank you to all that responded. Please don’t take these words as criticism.”
SNAP replacement benefits extended through Aug. 18
Texas is extending the deadline to apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, replacement benefits through Aug. 18.
They allow recipients to use SNAP dollars to replace food that was destroyed or stolen.
The USDA initially approved SNAP replacement benefits for 21 Texas counties affected by flooding on July 4. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that Texas received permission to add five more counties: Hamilton, Lampasas, Maverick, Sutton, and Uvalde.
SNAP recipients can request replacement food benefits by calling 2-1-1 and selecting option seven.
Flood-related trash drop off event this Saturday in Ingram
Residents of West Kerr and Ingram may drop off their flood-related trash free of charge this weekend at the Ingram VFD lot off Old Ingram Loop.
The event begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday and continues until the lot is filled.
The statement from the West Kerr Chamber of Commerce explained that people must bring their proof of residency.
Only flood trash is accepted. No brush or trees. No hazardous waste.
For questions, call Stuart Gross with the City of Ingram at 830-367-5111.
Kerr County Animal Services: No more pet food donations, for now
Kerr County Animal Services (KCAS) is asking for a pause in pet food donations.
KCAS says the facility has had multiple pallets of food delivered in the past two days, and it is at capacity for storing it.
Cash donations are still accepted.
Those would like to provide goods are asked to call KCAS in advance to ask what supplies may be needed.
Kerr County workshop on Friday at 9 a.m. enables residents to talk to FEMA, LiftFund, banks
Kerr County hosts an informational workshop on Friday for residents affected by the flooding.
Representatives from LiftFund, local area banks, FEMA, and other local agencies will be present during the workshop.
It begins at 9 a.m. at the Kerr County Courthouse in Kerrville.
The meeting will also be streamed live on the Kerr County YouTube page.
Commissioners will not take action as a court during this gathering.
Legislature's first hearing on floods gathers recommendations; next hearing will be in Kerrville
The first hearing of the Texas Committee focused on floods was held on Wednesday. Lawmakers heard from several state agencies about what they believe is needed to prevent loss of life in floods similar to what the state saw on July 4.
Several recommendations were tossed around during the more than eight hour long hearing. One of the recommendations from Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd was to start only allowing credentialed, professionally certified emergency managers — which in smaller counties can often be an appointed position.
Also testifying was Freeman Martin, executive director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. He told lawmakers about the difficulties responders faced identifying victims. He also suggested new technology the state could invest in.
"There's a technology out with iris scans," he explained. "When I talked about the nuclear DNA decomposing after a couple of days is no good. The iris scans of the eyes is good up to 30 days. It's the same technology you use with a cell phone for your facial recognition."
A representative from Texas Parks and Wildlife called for more staffing, saying having more Texas game wardens would mean they could strategically deploy them across the state when major weather events seemed likely.
The next meeting will be held in Kerrville, the area hardest hit by the storm. Lawmakers expect it to be emotional, but it will also be a chance to hear from residents impacted by the storm and from area officials still dealing with recovery and cleanup efforts.
A Kerrville vineyard's harvest washed away in the flood
The deadly Fourth of July floods in the Texas Hill Country took lives, destroyed homes, and — for at least one winemaker — wiped out nearly an entire year’s harvest.
Early estimates show the Texas Hill Country could lose up to $22 billion after the flooding.
The region draws thousands of tourists each year — and its wineries are a big part of that. Most vineyards escaped major damage, but Kerrville Hills Winery was right in the flood’s path.
"It was a complete and utter breakdown, man," said owner John Rivenburgh. "I mean, the gravity of the devastation out here still hits me."
He said most of his vineyard is gone — a loss that will cost more than $1 million this year alone.
"This is the hardest thing I've ever navigated in my entire life," Rivenburgh said.
He added that it’ll take at least five years to rebuild. He’s now salvaging what he can — and leaning on help from neighbors and volunteers.
San Antonio and Stinson airports contribute to relief efforts
The San Antonio International and Stinson Municipal Airports have teamed up for a flood relief initiative called SAT Cares.
SAT is the aviation abbreviation for the city.
Airport workers and the city's Animal Care Services will also collect donations from passengers traveling through the terminals to support local shelter pets.
The San Antonio Food Bank has also placed large, red barrels in the terminals to be filled with the most wanted food items for flood relief efforts: peanut butter, cereal, tuna, beans, rice, soups, canned meats, and canned pet and baby food.
The airport accepts donations on Thursday, July 24, Friday, July 25, Thursday, July 31, and Friday, Aug. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Growing insurance crisis felt deeply in Texas, as natural disasters strike
Texas is starting to feel the impact of a growing insurance crisis.
Prices for coverage are skyrocketing, and more insurance companies are pulling out of the state.
Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute told TPR's "The Source" it comes as Texas sees more severe and frequent disasters like recent flooding along the Guadalupe River.
He says lack of flood insurance is a huge problem across the state: “It’s the largest insurance gap we see not only in Texas, but across the country. When we look at Texas alone about seven percent of Texas homeowners have a flood policy.”
Friedlander pointed out that flood insurance is separate from home insurance and in many cases carries larger premiums, especially in flood prone areas.
Kerr County residents say FEMA has declined their assistance requests
Many Kerr County residents said they've been declined by FEMA for disaster assistance following the July 4 floods.
At an informational meeting on Tuesday, Kerr County Engineer Charlie Hastings said this could be because FEMA needs more information.
“So don’t be discouraged," he said. "Go right back to them and go, ‘What am I missing here? What do you need?' "
Those impacted by the floods can apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or by calling 1-800-621-3362. The FEMA helpline is open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Kerr County to begin debris burning by Labor Day
Kerr County will begin burning debris from the July 4th floods by Labor Day.
County Engineer Charlie Hastings said there will be two sites burning 300 to 400 tons of debris per day.
"The material that's to be burned will be put in a tub grinder, and they will put it in the pit," he explained. "And in the morning, when they started and they get that incinerator fan blowing, it'll be a little bit of smoke, but once it gets up to temperature, it'll burn hot and clean all day long, and it'll be shut down every evening."
Hastings said it will take at least three to four months to burn all the debris, and it could take as long as a year depending on weather conditions.
Community Foundation reports raising more than $60 million for relief efforts
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill County said it has raised more than $60 million for those impacted by the devastating 4th of July floods.
About $8 million in emergency grants have now been distributed through two rounds of emergency grants across the Hill Country.
The funds support individuals & families, local businesses, first responders, and crisis response efforts.
Additional grants are expected to be made in the near future.
Disclosure: The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country is a TPR sponsor. We cover them like we would any other organization.
Abbott: Two people still missing after the Guadalupe River floods
Gov. Greg Abbott said on Tuesday that only two people remain missing from the devastating 4th of July floods.
State and Kerrville officials reduced the number of missing from 97 down to three over the weekend.
Abbott said on social media that search crews recovered the body of a missing adult female in the Kerrville area.
One adult male and a girl from the Christian Camp Mystic remain missing.
At least 135 people died across the state as result of the floods.
Salvation Army officials estimate they will help recovery efforts for years
Crews in the Hill Country are still on the search for two missing people after the catastrophic floods this month.
Though some first responders hope to return home soon, recovery efforts could take years.
Major Philip Swyers with the Salvation Army anticipates being out in the area for up to two years, or “until the funds run out.”
He said not only is the organization helping to move some residents into temporary housing, but it is also working “with them in the rebuilding process. If they are having difficulties with insurance and that type of stuff. But it all starts in signing up with a FEMA number.”
On Monday, Kerr County commissioners voted to waive building fees for people affected by the July 4th floods.
FEMA invites students and renters to apply for financial assistance
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says that students and renters whose homes and property were damaged in the Guadalupe River floods can apply for federal assistance once they have applied an insurance claim.
Additional assistance that may cover anything insurance won't includes one or two months of rent for temporary housing, funds to repair or replace appliances, furniture, textbooks, or school supplies, and funds to repair job related equipment for anyone who is self-employed.
Financial assistance may also be available to replace vehicles or to pay for moving expenses, child care or health care.
The deadline to apply is Sept. 4. The fastest way to apply at DisasterAssistance.gov. More information is available here.
Kerr County hosts meeting about flood insurance at 6:30 p.m. in person and online
Kerr County will host an informational meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Tom Moore High School in Ingram for residents impacted by the floods.
Officials from FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program will be present to answer residents' questions and direct them to the right resources for support.
The meeting can also be streamed live on the Kerr County YouTube page.
FEMA offers advice on how to replace lost documents
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has tips for flood survivors whose important documents were lost or damaged.
Birth and death certificates and marriage and divorce documents can be ordered online on the state Department of Health & Human Services website.
Replacement driver licenses can be made by making appointments at a driver license office.
Replacement passports can be requested at state.gov.
Military records can be searched on the National Archives website. Search for "Request Military Service Records."
Replacement green cards can be requested at USCIS.gov. Request Form I-90.
Lost Medicare cards can be ordered online or in person with Social Security, or at MyMedicare.gov.
Health and Human Services Commission offers multiple services for flood victims
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission reported a number of flood-related services continue for Hill Country flood victims.
Those services include access to food and baby formula, mental health services and emergency grants for small town hospitals.
SNAP recipients can apply for benefits for food lost to the flood through Aug. 4 by calling 211. Hot meals can also be purchased in the impacted counties using a Lone Star card through Aug. 14.
WIC is also replacing lost food and formula benefits through July 31 at TexasWIC.org.
The state is offering free crisis counseling at 833-812-2480.
And early prescription refills are also being allowed by state health officials for flood victims on Medicaid, the Children with Special Health Care Needs Services Program, and the Kidney Health Care Program.
Flood victims in need of furniture and appliance replacement, funeral expenses, car repairs and other needs can apply at DisasterAssistance.gov. The HHSC Receiving Disaster Assistance web page should also be checked out.
Kerr County commissioners plan to burn debris in sections
Kerr County commissioners met on Monday morning to discuss the next phase of emergency management efforts following the devastating Guadalupe River flood.
A burn ban continues to be in effect in Kerr County.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said lifting the burn ban and debris cleanup efforts will both take time.
"It's not going to be blanket," he said. "We're not going to light the county up one day and watch everything burn down. We're going to do it in steps, in sections."
Crews are still searching large debris piles for any human remains before debris burning efforts begin.
Commissioners voted to give the burn ban authority back to the Kerr County judge. Precinct commissioners in Kerr County typically each handle burn bans for their districts.
Republican congressman wants to expand NOAA's alert capabilities
In the wake of deadly Texas floods, a Republican congressman from Texas is calling for better weather prediction tools.
Congressman Randy Weber represents Texas’ 14th Congressional District, which is on the Gulf Coast.
He explained to Houston Public Media's "Hello Houston" that he is co-sponsoring a bill that aims to expand the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s forecasting and alert capabilities.
“We want to be able to forecast things," he explained, "and we’ll roll in the Texas flood here, unfortunately — that happened in the middle of the night. A better system to get those kinds of warnings out, better systems for hurricane tracking, and even Tornado Alley.”
North Carolina Democratic Congresswoman Deborah Ross is also a co-sponsor of the bill. Her state saw catastrophic flooding last year in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
Sections of Guadalupe River reopened for recreational access
Kerrville officials warned the public to avoid the Guadalupe River in Kerr County.
Swimming and boating are prohibited.
They said on social media that the river is still contaminated and filled with debris, and the fast-moving currents are still dangerous.
Officials warned people to stay away from ongoing emergency operations.
However, the Guadalupe River from Canyon Dam to New Braunfels has reopened for recreational access.
Water quality testing was conducted at multiple points on Canyon Lake, with results confirming conditions are in acceptable standards.
Boerne ISD uses one of its middle schools to shelter DFW first responders
Boerne ISD has mobilized one of its middle schools as a "home base" for first responders who continue recovery efforts in the Texas Hill Country.
The district said Voss Middle School will provide shelter for a group of first responders from the Dallas-Fort Worth area through late July.
Officials say residents may see an increased first responder and law enforcement presence, but it will not impact the start of the school year from students
Kerr commissioners: County moving fully into recovery stage
Commissioners in Kerr County said the county is fully shifting into the recovery stage of emergency management more than two weeks after devastating flooding hit the Texas Hill Country.
Over the weekend, Texas and Kerrville officials reduced the number of missing in Kerr County from 97 people to just three.
Kerr County judge Rob Kelly explained: "Most of them were tourists who came into town that left and went back home and didn't report back that they were there. That's what a lot of that was. But the recovery is going to start with the debris."
Kelly said crews will take cadaver dogs over large debris piles one more time to triple check for any human remains.
Commissioners say debris cleanup efforts across the county could take anywhere from six to eight months.
The deliberations were livestreamed on YouTube.
Number of missing from July 4 floods drops to 3, Kerr County officials say
The number of missing victims of the massive floods through Kerr County has precipitously diminished.
The Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center confirmed in a statement on Saturday that three individuals remain unaccounted for after the deadly floods of July 4.
At various points in recent days, reports estimated that there were 160 missing. Later reports said over 100 were missing.
This drop to three missing people, was explained in a statement by Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice.
“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,” said Rice. “Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three.”
In the early hours of July 4, significant rain fell in a short amount of time in Kerr County, causing the Guadalupe River to swell and flood out of its banks. Because of the Independence Day holiday, summer homes and camps in the area—including summer camps housing hundreds of children—were full to capacity with unregistered guests.
“Many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list,” officials said in the release.
First responders undertook water rescues in the flooded areas. Officials provided updates on the numbers of dead and missing over the next few days—including children and counselors from Camp Mystic.
Recovery operations throughout the Guadalupe River watershed continued with help from local, state, national and even international search teams working assiduously to reunite the missing with their families. Read more...
Kerrville to swimmers and boaters: Stay out of the Guadalupe River
Kerrville officials are warning the public to avoid the Guadalupe River in Kerr County.
Swimming and boating are prohibited.
They said on social media that the river is still contaminated and filled with debris ... and the fast-moving currents are still dangerous.
Officials warned people to stay away from ongoing emergency operations.
They also advised the public to continue to monitor weather conditions, which could worsen quickly.
San Antonio Food Bank estimates it may take a year to fully respond to the Guadalupe River flood disaster
Since July 5, the San Antonio Food Bank has provided food, hygiene products, and cleaning supplies to Kerrville as part of its flood relief efforts.
The Food Bank estimated that monetary donations in July were roughly double what they usually are.
Michael Guerra, the Food Bank's chief philanthropic officer, said that partnerships with Kerrville area non-profits are crucial its relief efforts.
“There's partners like Goodwill and Salvation Army," he explained. "So there's a lot of coordination that has to happen. And so the first days of response really are assessing, learning, listening and trying to avoid what could be the second disaster, and that's the wrong items donated in the wrong amount at the wrong time.”
The Food Bank estimated it could take a year to fully respond to the crisis.
To help, visit the Food Bank website for a list of the 12 most wanted donations, as well as volunteer opportunities.
Goodwill opens new donation center in Kerrville
Goodwill San Antonio is expanding flood relief support in Kerr County with a new Donation Distribution Center.
Goodwill said it collected more than 30 tons of in-kind donations, and it will offer access to donated items, including clothing, shoes, and household goods.
The company temporarily paused accepting donations, and it said it will focus on ensuring that the people in the affected areas can easily access available resources.
The center is located at 827 Junction Highway in Kerrville, and it will open to the public on July 21.
Congressman plans to investigate staffing shortages at National Weather Service
Congressman Greg Casar said a federal audit into staffing shortages at the National Weather Service is coming.
Last week, the Austin Democrat called for an investigation into why some positions there and at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the weather service, were vacant ahead of historic flooding in the Hill Country this month.
The two agencies have seen staffing losses after federal funding cuts from the Trump administration.
In a letter, the Commerce Department said it would begin an audit into staffing, pointing out that losses in forecasters at both agencies have been a concern since at least 2023.
Abbott says special legislative session will address communications issues during emergencies
Gov. Greg Abbott said cell phone alerts were unreliable when it came to warning people near the town of Hunt about the threat of flooding on the Fourth of July.
"There is virtually no cell phone availability at any time," he said. "Cell phone warnings would have — I think they were triggered but they would have been largely irrelevant because of the inability for people to communicate.”
Abbott said communications issues during emergencies will be addressed when lawmakers go back to work next week.
Singers plan several concerts to help flood relief efforts. Check out the schedule.
Kerrville has been reeling in recent weeks from record flooding and from the loss of life that accompanied it. People from across the state and the nation have poured their support into the region's communities.
Now, musicians are stepping forward to contribute their creative talents to the relief efforts. Several performers in the coming days and weeks will gather monetary donations through ticket sales to help the shattered communities in and around Kerr County.
Check out TPR's schedule of upcoming concert events (below) for your planning purposes. The schedule will be updated as more concert information is available.
Natural resources experts demand reforms to state's flood policies
A coalition of Texas natural resources organizations and experts are calling for action following the deadly flooding.
The groups said that existing flood policies must be enforced and new policies must be adopted to understand the state's flood patterns, aquifer systems and watershed vulnerabilities.
The Cibolo Center for Conservation Contact is a member of the coalition, and Kel Hoffman is its land conservation director.
"This is flash flood alley, as has been said," Hoffman said. "This is the seventh occurrence of a fatal flood in the last 100 years. It's not a matter of if, but simply when. And we need to be able to protect the most vulnerable people in our communities."
The coalition called for the enforcement of land and water policies that protect floodplains and buffer zones and comprehensive watershed-wide planning.
Texas Diaper Bank donates diapers, bed pads, menstrual supplies to communities rebuilding after flood
The Texas Diaper Bank is set to distribute at least 500,000 essential items over the next several months to people across six counties impacted by the recent catastrophic flooding.
Diapers, adult diapers, bed pads, menstrual supplies, household products and other hygiene products will be among the about 100,000 items distributed by the nonprofit this week alone. Items will be provided to flood victims in communities like Kerrville, Hunt, Mason, Kempner, Sandy Creek and San Saba.
Individuals needing assistance or nonprofits needing supplies can reach out to the Texas Diaper Bank at 210-731-8118 and press 8 option or email info@texasdiaperbank.org.
Kerr County officials meet on July 28 to consider property tax hike
Kerr County commissioners are scheduled to meet on July 28 to resume discussions on a possible property tax hike to pay for flood recovery, which has generated some local protests.
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said the county will have to pay for flood recovery itself, at least at first, until FEMA can pay it back.
He said the last time the county had a FEMA related event, it took two, if not three years, for the county to be reimbursed.
He added that the county will need to pay contractors for repairs right away. Lower property appraisals due to flood damage may exceed $240 million. And that too means a loss in property tax revenue.
Los Lonely Boys, Lyle Lovett among performers at benefit concert planned for Aug. 18 in San Antonio
Another big San Antonio concert is planned to help communities affected by the Guadalupe River floods.
Los Lonely Boys, Reckless Kelly, Lyle Lovett, Gabriel “Fluffy" Iglesias, John Baumann and Bri Bagwell are all coming to the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, Aug. 18.
Tickets for inside seats are start $75. The concert will also be projected on a big screen outside, and seats for that go for $35.
Find ticket information at TheTobinCenter.org.
Kerrville area residents still stunned by scale of devastation
Nearly two weeks after the devastating Hill Country floods, some residents are left dealing with new devastation after more rain this week.
Trees lay flat and debris lingered throughout dead trees along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville this week.
Some residents of the area, like Virginia Mann, 71, said it's unlike any devastation they've seen in the area before.
"Nothing like this," she said. "I mean, big 18 wheelers can be buried in [the piles of debris]. I mean, they are digging out and finding big trucks underneath there."
She lives about 17 miles from Kerrville, and she visited the town on Wednesday to collect supplies after her driveway was washed away in more rainfall this week.
Hundreds of law enforcement officials remain in Central Texas to search for missing people.
Small businesses in disaster zone may access $5 million in recovery loans
State officials announced that $5 million in disaster recovery loans is now available for micro-businesses impacted by Texas flooding earlier this month.
The Texas Micro-Business Disaster Recovery Loan Program provides zero interest loans to help qualifying businesses recover and rebuild.
Micro-businesses have no more than 20 employees and must be in communities where a local, state, or federal disaster has been declared.
People with SNAP benefits in flood-struck counties can buy hot meals until Aug. 14
Texas is increasing the number of people who can buy hot meals with SNAP benefits in response to the flooding.
Usually, SNAP recipients cannot use the Lone Star Card to buy hot or ready to eat food. Last week, Texas received permission from the federal government to expand SNAP benefits to include hot meals in seven counties affected by flooding, including Kerr and Bandera.
The Texas Department of Health and Human Services said that it will expand those benefits to 26 additional counties, including Tom Green and Hays.
The temporary SNAP expansion for hot foods will last until Aug. 14. It does not change SNAP eligibility.
Author says climate change worsened the Kerr County flash flood
The flash flood disaster that hit Kerr County was made worse by climate change, according to climate scientists like Kate Marvel.
Marvel pointed out to TPR's "The Source" that the warming atmosphere is able to hold more water and create more serious flooding events, even as the planet becomes drier.
“What happened in the Texas flood was kind of a perfect illustration of when all these climate consequences come together," she explained, "and it is so painful to watch us scientists be right. I wish that we weren’t.”
Marvel is the author of the new book on climate change titled Human Nature.
She said people need to take action now to reduce carbon emissions before runaway climate change wrecks the planet.
Veteran-led nonprofit provides volunteers to flood relief efforts
A veteran-led nonprofit disaster response organization has more than 60 volunteers on the ground in Kerr and Tom Green counties.
Team Rubicon has a network of more than 200,000 volunteers nationwide, and about 65% of volunteers are either veterans or active-duty military.
The organization’s CEO, Art delaCruz, said Team Rubicon volunteers have been assisting in the Hill Country with clearing debris and mucking out flood-damaged homes to combat fast-spreading mold in extreme heat and humidity.
“Everyone that is here that I’ve run into, from law enforcement to heavy equipment operators to the nonprofits," delaCruz explained, "we're locked arm to arm with a singular commitment to help the community recover.”
DelaCruz said Team Rubicon plans to offer continued support to the community in the coming months in the form of continued cleanup efforts and help for other organizations in the rebuilding process.
Team Rubicon is accepting donations and volunteers at TeamRubiconUSA.org.
San Antonio Missions baseball team will play benefit game on Aug. 9
The San Antonio Missions baseball team will play a benefit game for Hill Country flood victims at Nelson Wolf Stadium on Aug. 9.
Team officials said players will wear the jerseys of the high school teams in Kerrville, Ingram, Comfort, and Center Point to demonstrate their support of those communities.
Manu Ginobili — the team's owner, NBA champ and Hall of Famer — will throw out the first pitch of the game against the Springfield Cardinals.
Robert Earl Keen plans a star-studded benefit concert for Kerrville on Aug. 28
Kerrville has been reeling for most of the last two weeks from record flooding and from the loss of life that accompanied it. People from across the state and the nation poured their support into the region's communities.
Kerrville musician Robert Earl Keen plans to offer his own contribution to the healing process.
He was slated for a concert in the city’s Louise Hays Park on July 4, but the torrential rains and record flooding made that impossible.
Now he’s decided to put on that concert, but only bigger. It will benefit the Community Foundation of the Hill Country.
Keen selected the Whitewater Amphitheater between Canyon Lake and New Braunfels for the benefit concert. And he won't be the only star on the stage: “Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, Jack Ingram, Tyler Childers, Cross-Canadian Ragweed, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Terry Allen, Ray Wiley Hubbard, Hayes Carl, and on and on,” he said.
It all starts at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 28. Find more information on his website.
When every phone alert sounds the same, Texans may miss the one that matters
In a state where hurricanes, tornadoes and flash floods are a constant threat, the shrill tone of an emergency alert is supposed to cut through the noise. But for many Texans, those urgent warnings now compete with countless other pings and buzzes from their phones — and too often get ignored, experts say.
When heavy rain sent a wall of water rushing down the Guadalupe River on July Fourth, many people slept through the alerts buzzing on their phones.
These warnings all sound the same, even if it’s related to missing children, injured police officers or severe storms.
Crisis communication expert Jeannette Sutton said too many warnings get lost in the daily noise: "It's a real problem that we haven't quite sorted out, especially as so many different kinds of warnings come through the same channel."
Sutton said people should sign up for local community alert systems, like CodeRED, which serves more than 10,000 communities throughout the U.S. In areas with poor cell service, backup options like weather radios can help people stay informed.
"Because," she warned, "there will be a time when the message actually is meaningful to you."
Read more about this here.
Town of Hunt is a landscape of soggy debris, chunks of trees, twisted metal
James Hartley, a reporter with KERA in Dallas, visited Hunt, Texas, an unincorporated community of about 1,300 in western Kerr County, on Tuesday. He sent this first person perspective:
It's been raining off and on here, complicating recovery efforts for the third day in a row.
The risk of flooding is still high in the Texas Hill Country. Standing here next to the Guadalupe River, I see the murky brown water capped with white as it picks up speed.
Hunt was one of the areas more heavily hit by the July 4th flooding.
Debris is piled up almost everywhere I look, a mixture of chopped up trees, drywall, and twisted, deformed metal.
The soggy ground is also stopping crews from getting dumpsters into these areas to remove that debris they've collected. Recovery workers have told me that the mud is slowing down their efforts pretty much everywhere. It prevents them from moving in other equipment that they need to clean up this area.
Authorities are still tightly controlling the flow of traffic along Highway 39, which runs alongside the Guadalupe and through Hunt. There haven't been any reports of rain delaying or halting efforts today like it has in the past two days though, and recovery volunteers continue to converge on central Texas despite these complications from weather.
Former Camp Mystic camper shares memories during visit to memorial
Many Texans have a connection to Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian camp that was destroyed in the July 4th Guadalupe River floods.
Isabel Howard, a camper there in the late '90s, remembered that "on the drive up here, I was remembering the song that we used to sing in the dining hall that was like complete gibberish. And it just made me smile, because it was so funny. It was called the wiggalo and it just, the song was just about like jumping up and down and turning in a circle and asking our friends to join in and sing it with us ..."
Howard said she was shocked to see the pictures of the Camp Mystic dining room completely inundated: "It was really hard to see the pictures of the dining hall. No one would have ever imagined that water would get up there. I thought when I first found out that someone had had a bad dream or something, I didn't think it was real."
She stopped by the makeshift memorial on Kerrville's Water Street to pay respects to those who lost their lives and to show gratitude to those who rescued children in the July 4th floods.
The search and recovery mission continues 11 days later.
FEMA and AG Paxton warn people of potential fraud scams
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Attorney General Ken Paxton warned people of potential fraud scams following the catastrophic flooding.
FEMA warned of scammers impersonating FEMA officials and approaching people in the Hill Country.
FEMA said all officials carry identification badges with photo IDs and will never ask for payment or personal financial information.
Paxton encouraged anyone making donations to use reputable and verified channels.
He issued a warning letter to Tray Coppola, who organized an unverified GoFundMe fundraiser. Paxton ordered Cappolla to return funds or face legal action.
Survivors who believe they are already the victim of a scam can report it to the Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508.
San Antonio's Sen. Jose Menendez will serve on committee investigating floods
San Antonio Sen. Jose Menendez is among nine senators who will serve on the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding.
Charles Perry of Lubbock will lead that committee.
The House will have its own committee, to be chaired by Rep. Ken King.
Also on the House committee is Rep. Drew Darby. In the days immediately after the Hill Country flooding, the San Angelo Republican urged Gov. Greg Abbott to add legislation to the special session agenda that would help communities bolster their emergency communications systems. It failed during the regular session but Darby thinks it’ll have better luck this time around.
The select committees will have 30 days to create legislation that will upgrade flood warning systems and emergency communications and provide relief funding for areas impacted by the floods.
The first hearing is set to take place at the State Capitol in Austin on July 23, two days after the special session opens.
The second hearing will be in Kerrville on July 31 to give residents an opportunity to give input.
Abbott tours communities affected by Texas floods
Gov. Greg Abbott toured the area affected by the July 4th floods on Monday and spoke to reporters afterwards.
He said officials reduced the number of missing people from more than 160 to 97.
"Those who are missing on this list, most of them, were more difficult to identify because there was no record of them logging in anywhere," he explained. "And it was through information provided by a friend, family member, whatever the case may be that they haven’t been found.”
The overall death toll from the Texas flooding disasters stood at 132.
South Texas EMS task force reports thousands of 'patient encounters' after July 4 floods
The San Antonio-based Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC), which coordinates the EMS and hospital response to mass casualty events for a 22-county area, including Kerr County, reported this week that its emergency response to the July 4 floods grew to 130 units, including 61 ambulances.
"We've had over 6,600 patient encounters and 182 patients that have been treated and 109 of those were transported to a hospital somewhere," said Eric Epley, the CEO of STRAC.
Epley said those figures are only for STRAC, a state coordination office for the Texas emergency medical task force, and seven other regional members.
A ninth component oversees the entire statewide task force. Created and funded by the Texas Legislature, the task force has existed since 2010.
He said local EMS transports are not included in the figures, and it's a summary total for the task force since the Fourth of July.
More rainfall cuts short search efforts for another day
More than 160 people are still missing following the July 4 flooding, and search efforts in the Hill Country were cut short for the second day in a row as rain continued to drench the region.
Search teams and recovery crews were called off again on Monday afternoon when a renewed downpour swelled the Guadalupe River.
The Guadalupe River in at Hunt was up 11 feet and continued to rise throughout the afternoon.
Authorities restricted even emergency vehicle access to Highway 39, one of the places where homes were washed away.
One family returned to their property along that stretch of road Monday to look for anything they could salvage. They said after the rain started that the highway had become impassible.
Kerrville memorial continues to grow as community's sorrow deepens
Survivors of the catastrophic flooding in the Texas Hill Country are honoring the people who died on the July 4 weekend.
As more bodies are recovered, a memorial wall in downtown continues to grow.
Adorned with flowers, photographs and toys, a simple chain-link fence in downtown Kerrville has become a gathering place for people to reflect and support each other.
Geraldine Granado spends her days volunteering at the memorial. She said the wall has become a place to grieve and to find peace, and more people visit every day.
"I see that some people are adding stuff to the wall. So I think it’s important. I think it’s very important that we do this. It’s our way to say goodbye, maybe?"
She said she expects the memorial to keep growing.
FEMA's aid to Kerr County residents now extended to Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties
Homeowners, renters and eligible non-residents impacted by the severe storms and flooding in Kerr, Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties can apply for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The disaster recovery center will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily at First Baptist Church, 625 Washington St. in Kerrville.
FEMA and the State of Texas may be able to help people with "serious disaster-related needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic repair costs, and personal property losses."
Claims should first be filed with insurance companies. Federal funding is available for those whose policies don't cover all damages.
Survivors may also apply for assistance through FEMA's website, disasterAssistance.gov, which is the fastest method, or by downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Calls are accepted every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help is available in most languages.
For an accessible video on how to apply, visit YouTube and watch: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance.
Kerrville will wait for clear weather before pumping out swollen Nimitz Lake
Search and recovery efforts continue in Kerr County as crews work around flood watches -- more than a week following the deadly 4th of July flooding.
Kerrville Assistant City Manager Michael Hornes told the Kerrville City Council Monday morning that ongoing rain is causing Nimitz Lake on the Guadalupe River to overtop the dam.
"They have a hard time searching in there because that water is ... the turbidity is what they call it. You can't see through it. In addition to not being able to see through it, there is a lot of debris within there," he added.
Hornes said the city is waiting for a few days of clear weather before officials pump that water out of Nimitz Lake.
Flood watch casts shadow over Kerr County as more storms loom
Search and recovery teams in areas that were flooded when the Guadalupe River burst from its banks on July 4 struggled to continue their work on Monday as another wave of strong storms darkened the western and southwestern horizons.
Emergency management officials tried to work around the patchwork of flood watches and warnings — suspending work in some areas and resuming work in others — as one storm after another drenched different parts of Kerr County, sparking harrowing evacuation orders for an exhausted Hill County community.
For example, at 12:28 p.m., Kerr County officials warned: "All search teams in the river corridor need to move to higher ground now. Only teams working under the direction of Kerr County Emergency Operations Center Unified Command are permitted in the response zone."
A flood watch was in effect for the ravaged region until 9 p.m. Monday. That watch does not include Bexar County.
Flood Watch continues for the Hill Country, Edwards Plateau, and Travis/Williamson Counties until 9 PM CDT today. Additional rain of 1 to 2 inches are possible with isolated amounts of 3 to 5 inches possible. Runoff could result in flash flooding and rises in river levels. #txwx pic.twitter.com/w0XJbFqxjb
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 14, 2025
The National Weather Service (NWS) reported one to two inches of rain was possible to the west and north of the Alamo City, and as much as three to five inches could fall in isolated spots.
Forecasters explained that two mesoscale convection vortexes — one near Waco, and one near the Rio Grande — pulled in storm cells and placed them in circling patterns over the same areas, unleashing more dangerous floodwaters.
Kerr County leaders chart long road of recovery ahead of them
Kerr County commissioners met on Monday morning for their first regular session since the devastating 4th of July flooding.
County Judge Rob Kelly said emergency management continued to be an ongoing process in the county.
"Search and rescue remains our top priority," he explained. "And that's what we were doing yesterday. We've moved on to also include recovery -- and that's where we had people out in the river basin doing a lot of work. We're trying to get a handle on things."
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha also updated the community on the timeline moving forward.
"How long is it gonna take? Who knows? I think we'll still go strong for another month or two ... up to maybe six months winding down, as we move on," he said.
Leitha added that the state and federal government have provided the resources and assets needed to continue efforts.
The county also approved overtime pay for exempt and non-exempt county employees who have worked extra since July 4.
Debris removal process underway in Kerr County
Officials with the City of Kerrville and Kerr County are working to remove and manage debris from the July 4th floods.
Debris removal is being conducted in phases, with the first phase already underway with search and operations taking initial priority.
Residents should separate debris into appropriate piles, including large appliances, construction debris, and vegetative debris.
The non-emergency line at the Kerr County Sheriff's office should be contacted if a recovery team should be dispatched to assess large debris piles on a property.
Find more information at the City of Kerrville Facebook page.
Kerrville church services bolster community for long road of recovery
Congregants from churches across Kerrville, Texas, got back to services on Sunday even as another flood watch brought search and rescue operations to a halt.
Parishioners at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Kerrville huddled together under umbrellas and stepped through puddles on their way inside as another downpour drenched the region.
Just nine days earlier, another storm assaulted the region of Central Texas and led the Guadalupe River to overflow.
Rev. Bert Baetz, the rector at Saint Peter’s, said his parish is here to support the community for the long haul: "We’re not leaving. We’re committed to the emotional, spiritual, material, mental needs that will arise. We’re not leaving."
Baetz added that the people of Kerrville will need support for months to come, and his parish will provide any it can.
Flood watch extended through 9 p.m. Monday: Recovery operations expected to restart in Kerr County later Monday
Kerr County and much of the Hill Country, the Southern Edwards Plateau, and Travis & Williamson counties are under a flood watch until 9 p.m. tonight.
The Guadalupe River is expected to reach moderate flood stage of around 14.6 feet by 11 a.m. Residents along the riverbank are urged to seek higher ground.
Additional flooding temporarily halted recovery efforts in Kerr County yesterday. Operations are expected to restart today.
The flood watch advisory is issued when conditions are favorable for possible flooding. The National Weather Service says those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
The recovery operation for those missing in the July 4 floods in Kerr County was halted Sunday due to weather conditions.
Sunday’s heavy rain event in the Hill Country rattled flood survivors and relief workers. Flash Flood warnings were issued for several areas on Sunday morning, including the already rain-swollen Guadalupe River.
Here are the roads closed due to Texas floods
Roads across Central Texas continue to be closed as the area is threatened with more rain and flooding. In Kerr County, Highway 39 and FM 1340 are both closed through Hunt and Ingram.
Current closures can be viewed at DriveTexas.org, a website run by the state transportation department.
Candlelight vigil cancelled
Organizers say a planned candlelight vigil scheduled for this evening in Hunt for victims of the flood has been cancelled due to the threat of more rain in the area.
Kerrville city officials have announced that recovery operations have also been suspended. Ground crews working in the river corridor have been advised to evacuate until further notice. The City of Kerrville's Facebook page showed videos of streets flooding.
New flash flood warnings have been issued for Northwestern Gillespie County, Western Llano County and portions of Burnet and Williamson counties.
Kristi Noem says FEMA won't be 'eradicated'
Homeland Security Chief Kristi Noem said on Sunday that FEMA will be "remade" but not eradicated.
In response to media questions, Noem said reports that that FEMA answered only a fraction of disaster assistance calls regarding the deadly Texas floods were "fake" and said all assets were deployed in a timely manner and in consultation with local and state officials. She also said the Federal Emergency Management Agency would not be eradicated and that, despite his statements, President Donald Trump recognizes its value.
"The president recognizes that FEMA should not exist the way that it always has been. It needs to be redeployed in a new way, and that's what we did during this response," Noem said. When pressed, she added, "I think he wants it to be remade so that it's an agency that is new in how it deploys and supports states."
Residents warned to leave Guadalupe River 'immediately' as more rain hits Hill County
The National Weather Service has issued Flood Warnings for Kerrville, Comfort, Ingram, Hunt, Mountain Home, Waltonia, Kerr Wildlife Management Area, Harper, Kerrville-Schreiner Park and Cypress Creek.
Just before 8 a.m., an alert warned about dangerous water at the Guadalupe River.
"There is a high probability of the Guadalupe River at Hunt reaching flood stage today. All persons, equipment and vehicles should be removed from the river immediately," the alert read.
Meanwhile, a Flood Watch for several additional counties is in place until Sunday at 7 p.m. They included Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Comal, Edwards, Gillespie, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, Llano, Medina, Real, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde and Williamson counties.
A Flash Flood Warning is issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring. A Flood Watch is issued when flash flooding is either already happening or expected to develop soon.
Body of last missing Camp Mystic counselor found: Katherine Ferruzzo is remembered for dedication to students with disabilities
The remains of the last missing counselor from Camp Mystic have been recovered.
Katherine Ferruzzo, 19, died in the July 4th floods along with at least 28 others from the all-girls camp on the Guadalupe River.
Katherine was a recent graduate of Memorial High School in the Houston area, where she was known for her volunteer efforts to help children with disabilities.
She had planned to attend the University of Texas at Austin and eventually become a special education teacher.
In a statement, the Ferruzzo family said Katherine's body was found on Friday.
"We are incredibly grateful to all the search and rescue professionals and volunteers who have remained steadfast in their efforts to locate the victims of this tragedy," the statement said.
Her picture is now a part of a growing makeshift memorial on Kerrville's Water Street, located a few hundred feet away from the river.
The family said it plans to launch a foundation in Katherine's name, dedicated to helping those with special needs and learning differences. It plans to share a link with donation details in the coming days.
"We would like to thank the Houston and Camp Mystic communities for their unwavering support and for allowing us to mourn this tragedy in private," the family wrote.
Kerrville Folk Festival provides space for flood relief efforts
Organizers of the Kerrville Folk Festival have opened up the festival grounds as a center for flood relief in Kerr County.
Quiet Valley Ranch where the festival is held has been opened up for displaced people from the disaster. Volunteers are also using the space to distribute supplies and serve food.
Deb Rouse, executive director of the Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation, explained that “I came from Houston where we're used to hurricanes, and we have a very robust [alliance of] government groups, city government that coordinates all that, and they just really don't have it here and there are a whole bunch of different little towns. It's not even just Kerrville.”
John White, a volunteer, said that “So like lunch we'll have 400+ tomorrow — dinner we'll have another 400+ — and there's no way that just two or three of us would be able to get that all accomplished.”
The Kerrville Folk Festival attracts tens of thousands of music fans every year in the early summer.
Visit Kerrvillefolkfestival.org to make a direct donation.
San Antonio man arrested for allegedly threatening Trump before Kerrville visit
A San Antonio man has been arrested for allegedly threatening President Trump.
Robert Herrera, 52, was accused of making online threats to the president during his visit to Texas on Friday. In one post on Facebook authorities say Herrera posted a picture of an assault rifle, along with a threat to “come after” the president.
Another post allegedly made by Herrera on a news outlet website contained similar threats.
The charges could lead to a 5-year prison sentence.
The investigation was carried out by the local FBI office, the Secret Service, San Antonio Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Kerrville to willing volunteers: You have to register first
The City of Kerrville said it anticipates a large number of "spontaneous" volunteers to assist with flood recovery this weekend.
So, the Texas Department of Emergency Management will be set up at Tivy Antler Stadium at 1310 Sydney Baker St. in Kerrville to register and check in volunteers.
All volunteers must register in advance at tcr.communityos.org. When they arrive at the auditorium, they'll undergo a safety briefing and sign waivers before they're assigned to do anything.
Officials say this organized effort will ensure a safe and effective response to the disaster.
More information is available at the city of Kerrville website at kerrvilletx.gov and the City of Kerrville Facebook page.
George Strait plans benefit concert for flood victims on July 27
County music legend George Strait has announced plans for a benefit concert for Hill Country flood victims.
The "King of Country" plans the "Strait to the Heart" concert for July 27 at Estancia at Thunder Valley, which is west of Boerne. Ticket and tables at the indoor arena event start at $1,000. To get tickets or make a donation send an email to Vaquerosdm@gmail.com.
Complimentary tickets will be offered to local first responders.
The concert will also include Strait's Vaqueros del Mar partner, Tom Cusick, and special guests William Beckman, Ray Benson, Wade Bowen, Dean Dillon, Riley Green, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Kyle Park, Hudson Westbrook and members of Strait's Ace in the Hole Band.
Relief efforts in Comfort come with a hug
The pavilion in the Comfort Community Park looks like an oversized convenience store without a cash register. That's because it's a distribution center for relief supplies.
Margaret Stone and April McDonald, both with the Comfort Chamber of Commerce, run the spot. They offer a variety of items provided by the Salvation Army for people who experienced the floods.
Stone said people who come here don’t just get diapers, canned goods, and clean-up supplies.
“We give them a hug, we spend time with them, and we let them talk," she explained. "They need to know that we are listening, and we are passing on the appropriate counseling services information.”
More information on how to assist the Comfort community is available here.
FEMA, Texas may provide up to $9,000 in funeral, burial expenses
FEMA and the State of Texas may provide up to $9,000 to cover funeral or burial expenses resulting from the severe storms and flooding.
FEMA said people are eligible for the assistance if they are a U.S. citizen or lawful resident and if FEMA can confirm their identity, the death or disinterment was caused by the disasters, and the expenses are not covered by other sources of financial assistance.
People can apply for assistance online here, on the FEMA mobile app, or the FEMA Helpline. An in-person assistance site is at First Baptist Church at 625 Washington Street in Kerrville.
The San Antonio zoo is sending an animal rescue team to Kerr County
The Zoological Disaster Response, Rescue and Recovery Team offers aid to non-domesticated animals during emergencies.
Its services include veterinary care, temporary holding facilities and emergency relocation for animals, and habitat restoration.
The team has been deployed to natural disasters including hurricanes Harvey, Ian and Laura.
The state has launched the Texas Flooding Emotional Support Line
The new, 24/7 statewide crisis support line is for Texans impacted by the floods.
Survivors, families, first responders and others affected by the disaster are eligible for free professional crisis counseling by calling 833-812-2480.
All calls are confidential and monitored by counselors trained to work with disaster survivors.
Rain in the forecast for Kerrville
Clouds will hang over Kerr County this weekend and the area could see rain and thunderstorms starting early Sunday morning.
There's a 40% chance of rain Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Kerr County Flood Relief Fund has raised $30 million from around the world so far
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country said it would distribute $5 million in initial grants to 20 nonprofit organizations doing on-the-ground relief and recovery work.
The money will go to individuals, families, local businesses and first-responding agencies that need relief.
The fund was organized soon after the flooding and has been promoted by Kerr County.
Learn more at communityfoundation.net.
The University of Texas at San Antonio will host a vigil at noon today to honor three of its own who died in the flooding
Psychology lecturer Katheryn Eads, architecture student Reese Manchaca and management student Ella Cahill all died in the flooding.
Eric Brey is dean of the College of Engineering and Integrated Design, where Manchaca was a student.
“She left a mark on our peers and our college through her creative creativity, kindness and energy," he said during a vigil Wednesday. "She had just completed her junior year, was very excited about the next steps in her journey as an architect.”
At the vigil Wednesday Damaris Ibarra, from UTSA’s Wellbeing Services, read aloud comments left by those who knew Cahill.
“Ella was a kind-hearted and warm soul who was hard working and just a beautiful person," Ibarra said. "She impacted us greatly and was part of our campus rec family for three years.”
Ibarra also read comments from those who knew Eads.
“Dr. Sandra Morrissette is also sharing that Dr. Eads was a kind, compassionate and dedicated teacher, and saying that we will miss her greatly.”
UTSA will hold an in-person vigil on the main campus Friday at noon.
Organizers of the fund that began a week ago to help locals impacted by the floods will talk about its progress this morning at 9 a.m.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country will host a press conference this morning at 9 a.m. to announce a major milestone in the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund established a week ago.
The announcement will include an update on financial contributions and details about the first round of grant recipients.
The first round of grants is expected to immediately be dispersed to more than 20 nonprofit organizations helping local people, businesses and first responders.
President Trump arrives in Kerrville around 11 a.m. today
The president and First Lady are expected to survey the damage from the deadly flooding that hit the Hill Country one week ago today.
He will also participate in a roundtable discussion with first responders and local officials.
U.S. Senator John Cornyn said he will join the president during his visit.
Former Kerrville mayor Bill Blackburn recalls his family's harrowing escape from the floodwaters
Bill Blackburn has lived in Kerrville for 40 years, even serving as mayor from 2018 to 2022.
"Yes, we've seen floods on the Guadalupe River over the years," he said. "But that level of flooding, that amount of water is just hard to believe."
Blackburn said his daughter-in-law up and two granddaughters were staying just west of Camp Mystic when someone woke them up around 3 a.m. Friday as the Guadalupe River spilled over its banks faster than a longtime resident like Blackburn had ever seen.
The mother collected her daughters and what belongings she could and got in her car, driving toward Hunt. On the way they hit floodwaters that quickly climbed halfway up their car doors.
"[She] used very good judgment, was able to get the car to the higher ground and then she and the girls up on a hill, to wait out the storm," he said.
Blackburn said she almost didn't make it.
"When I think about their experience and what could have happened, of course ... it just, it does you in," he said.
While they survived, Blackburn acknowledged the many people who didn't.
"I feel like there's a blanket of grief and sadness just over this community," he said. "When you think about the lives lost, the numbers missing, the structural damage and structures that are damaged and destroyed, the natural beauty.
"It is so hard. It is just almost too much."
The Texas House and Senate are establishing committees for the state’s upcoming special session that’ll focus on the Hill Country floods and disaster related measures
The committees will have 30 days, starting July 21, to draft legislation that will upgrade flood warning systems and emergency communications and provide relief funding for areas impacted by the floods.
Andrew Kruczkiewicz, a hydrometeorologist and senior researcher at Columbia University's Climate School, said lawmakers should work through how residents in Kerr County were notified of the flooding that has claimed 120 lives.
"What were the discussions? How were different areas prioritized or deprioritized?" he said. "These are questions that must be included in the post-event analysis."
'People are running from their homes, and they forget medicine'
Dozens of emergency response teams from across the country are in Central Texas to help victims of the recent flooding.
Among them is Americares, which helps with health-related issues during disasters.
Mariel Fonteyn, the group’s director of emergency response, said that Americares has deployed a response team to Kerrville and are on the ground working with local partners to restore health services and deliver critical medical supplies.
“People are running from their homes, and they forget medicine. They forget those health needs that they have or their daily medicines they need to stay healthy and need to get those replaced as soon as possible.”
These meteorologists spent years at the National Weather Service in Texas. Here's what they think of staffing issues.
In the aftermath of catastrophic flooding in the Hill Country, the performance of local National Weather Service offices has become the focus of intense scrutiny. Could NWS offices have better alerted the public to flood dangers? Did federal staffing cuts hinder the service’s ability to do its job?
Democratic legislators in D.C. have already called for investigations, and Texas state lawmakers are planning a special legislative session that will focus, in part, on answering those questions.
But as politicians and outside experts weigh in, the voices of NWS meteorologists themselves typically have been absent from the conversation, possibly because current weather service employees may not feel free to speak publicly.
To fill that void, KUT News reached out to recently retired career NWS meteorologists to learn how they think staffing cuts and hiring freezes have impacted the service’s mission to forecast and warn the public about extreme weather.
Lawmakers will convene in Austin for a special legislative session to address floods, THC, property taxes
Texas lawmakers will head back to the Capitol beginning Monday, July 21, for a special legislative session.
While regulating THC was Abbott's original priority for the special session, the focus has shifted to addressing historic flooding in the Hill Country.
Abbott is calling on lawmakers to introduce legislation that would improve early warning systems, strengthen emergency communications and speed up recovery efforts in flood-prone areas.
“We’re going to address every aspect of this storm to make sure we have in place the systems that are needed to prevent deadly flooding events like this in the future,” Abbott said Tuesday at a press conference in Kerr County.
Other topics on the agenda include redrawing congressional maps, reducing property taxes, tweaking abortion laws and eliminating the STARR standardized test for public school students.
Stuffed animals are strewn across flood-ravaged Texas. People are trying to get them to their owners.
Alexis Moriarty wanted to help.
The teenager and her mom, Michelle, dropped off underwear, towels and toothpaste to donation centers in Kerr County on Sunday, following the devastating floods nearby that have killed more than 100 people. Dozens are still missing.
The two then pulled off the highway near Comfort to join a search team.
“We were walking up the Guadalupe River, up and down, seeing if we could find anything that belonged to anybody,” Alexis said. “Or, anybody.”
The mother and daughter, who are from San Antonio, picked through brush and muck for nearly two hours. Disasters like floods, tornadoes and hurricanes have a habit of picking up people’s belongings and shaking them like a snow globe — and then breaking the snow globe. Alexis and her mom saw detached door frames, a koozie, even a badge from a school band stuck in a tree.
Cloud seeding did not lead to massive flooding in Central Texas
Josiah Neely of R Street Institute, a Texas-based organization that focuses on public policy issues including climate change, says conspiracy theories swirling about cloud seeding causing flooding in Kerr County are unfounded.
Cloud seeding increases the volume of rain by less than 20%.
"That’s not going to turn even an ordinary cloud into the flash flood that you saw in Kerrville and other places in Texas," Neely said. "When you talk to meteorologists, they’ll say [the storm came from] the moisture that was coming up from tropical storm Barry.”
Neely says proposed laws to ban cloud seeding could restrict access to a valuable tool used to help the agriculture industry, especially in times of drought.
Learn more about cloud seeding and flooding on The Source podcast at tpr.org.
New threats like bacteria and mosquitos emerge as the floodwater recedes
New dangers are emerging as the floodwaters recede and recovery efforts begin across the Hill Country.
Floodwater could contain bacteria, viruses and other pathogens. It’s also a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes, which may begin to swarm areas that have been flooded.
Chris van Deusen, a spokesman with the Texas Department of State Health Services, said standing water may also hide sharp objects or displaced wildlife. He said homes that have been inundated should be gutted.
"Mold can really grow in ... what is still a warm, wet environment," he said.
Dogs and cats from Kerr and Williamson counties land in Fort Worth for fostering
Crates full of dogs and cats from Kerr and Williamson counties lined the tarmac outside Texas Jet in Fort Worth on Wednesday. Some will stay with emergency foster families in the area, and others will continue heading north to Kanab, Utah.
Nelda Corbell with the nonprofit Wings of Rescue said the transport helps free up kennels for pets displaced by last week’s devastating floods.
"There's such a great need right now and truly this is just a small part of what we can do to make things better, getting pets out," Corbell said.
The organization partnered with SPCA of Texas and the Humane Society of North Texas to find foster families.
More pets are set to arrive in Fort Worth on Thursday.
A rugby team volunteers to clean up. A woman and her friend drive from Fort Worth to hand out sandwiches and pray.
Now that the water’s receded, Kerrville is slowly coming back. But it’s not quite the same.
Becky Etzler is executive director of the Riverside Nature Center.
“These giant historic cypress trees, bald cypress that line the Guadalupe all through Kerrville, you know, are either gone or damaged," Etzler said. "People are right now, rightfully so, very concerned about the loss of life, but we're going to be environmentally impacted by this for years.”
The nature center has a strong volunteer base that has been there for days. But strangers have dropped by as well.
“The rugby team from Texas State, they contacted me Sunday night, said, ‘We're in town. Can we come?’ So we had the whole rugby team here yesterday," Etzler said. "We had some nice, young, strong backs to do some heavy lifting for us.”
Also there: the Shim’s Be Blessed food truck, which delivered free lunches, and Mir’s Landscaping, which supplied a crew with chainsaws. On the other side of the Guadalupe was a sign that read "Free Sandwiches and Prayer."
“Ham sandwiches, turkey sandwiches or peanut butter and jelly? Which one do you want?” asked Jamie Stanford, who drove the five hours from Fort Worth to help.
"We're here to pray with people. Give them a free sandwich if they're hungry, and just to show emotional and spiritual support as much as possible,” she said.
Her friend Brigid Tripp came too.
“I think one of the things that stands out too is yesterday, a canine first responder unit came, and he just had tears in his eyes the whole time," Tripp said. "And you know, my heart just knows what they saw."
Flood victims can apply for disaster assistance in person starting Thursday or online through FEMA
Homeowners, renters and eligible non-residents impacted by the severe storms and flooding in Kerr County can apply for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration starting Thursday, July 10.
The disaster recovery center will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily at First Baptist Church, 625 Washington St. in Kerrville.
Claim should first be filed with insurance companies. Federal funding is available for those whose policies don't cover all damages.
FEMA staff can help in several ways, including:
- Checking the status of an application already in the system and making minor changes to applications.
- Contacting faith-based organizations, community groups, private sector businesses and public libraries that may have the capability to distribute disaster-related information to residents in the impacted counties.
- Identifying organizations providing disaster-related services and/or resources to the public for long-term recovery.
- Gathering information about impacts to communities.
- Providing flyers explaining how to apply for disaster assistance.
For information and to apply online visit the Small Business Association's website at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call the SBA at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
Survivors may also apply for assistance through FEMA's website, disasterAssistance.gov, which is the fastest method, or by downloading the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Calls are accepted every day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help is available in most languages.
H-E-B and James Avery started in Kerrville. Now they're giving back.
Two of the state's best-known brands, both born in Kerrville, are showing their support for Hill Country flood victims in a big way.
Grocery giant H-E-B started as a tiny family-owned store in Kerrville in 1905. H-E-B, a household name to most Texans that's headquartered in San Antonio, now has 435 stores in Texas and Mexico.
Volunteers from H-E-B have been on the ground serving up meals, distributing gift cards, handing out bottled water and clean-up products, and pitching in with the clean-up themselves.
What is now James Avery Artisan Jewelry started in 1954 by James Avery in his mother-in-law's garage in Kerrville, according to the company's website. The self-taught jewelry-maker fell in love with Kerrville as he underwent training at Lackland Air Force to serve in the U.S. Army Air Corp.
Avery died in 2018, and his son Chris has served as CEO and chairs the company's board.
The company's manufacturing facility is based in Kerrville on property purchased by James Avery. It temporarily closed this week due to the flood. The company today has 1,000 associates and 30 retail stores and is selling its famous charms to raise money for flood victims.
Kerr County is working with the state and a search team from Mexico
Cpt. Jason Waldrip with the Kerr County Sheriff's Office says the department has coordinated with a local construction company, the Texas Department of Public Safety and a team from Acuña, in the Mexican state of Coahuila, to locate the missing.
"We have spotters on the ground, so as materials are being removed, we are looking for anything of a sign of a person that may be within this material," Waldrip said.
Heavy equipment is being used to remove debris build up.
He asks anyone in Kerrville to avoid areas where excavators are working.
The United Cajun Navy is assisting search efforts in Kerr County
Hours after catastrophic flooding tore through Kerr County, an army of volunteers was already en route.
"We had seen the alerts overnight when we started getting reports about mass casualties. We had a feeling we were going to get a call," says Brian Trascher, vice president of the Louisiana-based group of volunteers called the United Cajun Navy.
And within a couple of hours they did.
By Friday afternoon, a group from a chapter in San Antonio arrived with airboats. Trascher and others from Louisiana soon joined them.
Read more about the United Cajun Navy's rescue efforts in Kerr County from NPR here.
A former Kerr County commissioner says a siren system would have saved lives
Tom Moser, who served as Kerr County commissioner from 2012 to 2021, told NPR he advocated for a flood warning system with sirens in 2016 after a deadly flood in nearby Wimberley.
That system was never built because commissioners were denied funding from state grants and there was public pushback.
Locals were concerned about the more than $1 million price tag. "People did not like the idea of sirens throughout the county," he added.
Well water testing will begin in the coming weeks
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension service has teamed up with the Texas Well Owners Network, its well owner education program, to begin testing private water wells for contaminants in the next few weeks.
“Our biggest concern with a situation like this is that we generally see elevated levels of E. coli," said John W. Smith, an AgriLife Extension program specialist. "And basically, what we're saying when that hits is the possibility of some kind of feces-borne contaminant may be in your well."
Private well owners are being asked to bring water samples into the AgriLife Extension offices in Burnet, Lampasas, Llano and San Saba counties Thursday morning from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Visit the Resources tab at twon.tamu.edu for more information.
County officials say they'll delay looking into the initial response to flooding
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said on Wednesday that the county will look at the initial response to the flooding at a later time.
Volunteer firefighters requested that the county deploy an emergency alert system known as CodeRED in the early morning hours of Friday as the Guadalupe River rose. Residents told The Texas Newsroom they received alerts at different times. County officials have insisted that an emergency alert system doesn't exist.
"As with other significant events that our emergency services encounter, this incident will be reviewed," Leitha said. "You have my word. When if necessary, if improvements need to be made, improvements will be made. "
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has said the state will provide resources to fund alert systems currently used in other Texas communities.
Gov. Greg Abbott said flood assistance would be a priority in the upcoming special legislative session.
Rescue efforts began in Hunt with two officers pulling people out of cars
Officials say rescue efforts began when two Kerrville Police officers rescued people in Hunt as the flood waters began to rise.
Kerrville Police Sgt. Jonathan Lamb said at a press conference Wednesday that other officers joined in the rescue efforts in the hours that followed.
"They rescued people out of vehicles. They rescued people out of homes that were already flooding, pulling them out of windows."
Lamb says officers evacuated over 100 homes and evacuated and rescued over 200 people in the initial hours of the flooding.
Texas is relying on FEMA. State leaders said it should be cut
In the wake of the deadly floods in Central Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott praised President Trump for quickly approving a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, the hardest-hit area.
"The swift and very robust action by President Trump is an extraordinary help to our response," Abbott said.
The declaration unlocked federal money to assist with the disaster response. That includes paying for debris removal, for search and rescue experts who are working around the clock, and for housing, food and other immediate necessities for those who lost homes in the floods.
But such assistance may not be available in the future.
The father of a flood victim is leading a daily search effort in Kerrville
For a large group of volunteers, the search for victims of the July 4 flood begins every morning — before sunrise — in the parking lot of a Walmart in Kerrville.
It's an effort led by Thad Heartfield.
Standing in the center, ringed by volunteers, they start with a prayer. Then he says, "Let's gather in close and I'll give you a briefing." Heartfield isn't normally an emergency worker. He's an attorney from Beaumont, Texas. His family had a house in Hunt, an unincorporated community on the Guadalupe River.
On the day of the flood, Heartfield's son was staying there with three friends.
"I was on the phone with him at 4 a.m. when they were washed away from the home," he says. "The water just overwhelmed them. We're still missing my son, Aidan Heartfield, and Ella Cahill."
Texas inspectors approved Camp Mystic disaster plan two days before flood, AP reports
Texas inspectors signed off on Camp Mystic’s emergency planning just two days before catastrophic flooding killed more than two dozen people at the all-girls Christian summer camp, most of them children.
The Department of State Health Services released records Tuesday showing the camp complied with a host of state regulations regarding “procedures to be implemented in case of a disaster.” Among them: instructing campers what to do if they need to evacuate and assigning specific duties to each staff member and counselor.
Five years of inspection reports released to The Associated Press do not offer any details of those plans at Mystic, raising new questions about the camp’s preparedness ahead of the torrential July 4 rainfall in flood-prone Texas Hill Country.
The city of Kerrville plans to use 28 acres of soccer fields for tree debris
Kerrville held its first city council meeting Tuesday evening since the devastating Fourth of July floods. The city renewed its disaster declaration and began discussing how the cleanup will work.
The city plans to use 28 acres of soccer fields to pile up tree debris.
"We need a massive amount of space,” said assistant city manager Michael Hornes. “I'm not sure exactly the numbers of debris, but it's in the millions of cubic yards, and it's kind of an unimaginable concept."
Kerr County officials are asking residents to delay cleaning their properties until debris drop-off sites are established. The county will update its Facebook page with site locations.
Kerr County enacted a burn ban earlier this week after debris fires were interfering with search efforts.
The city must also repair a water plant, as well as bridges and sidewalks.
The search operation continues to find all who went missing during the flood.
"I wish to God there was a way we could have warned them,” said Mayor Joe Herring Jr.
Kerr County residents say emergency alert messages were sporadic and inconsistent
In his first press conference after the deadly floods last weekend, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said unequivocally that the area did not have an emergency alert system.
“We have no warning system,” he said on the morning of July 4, just hours after the Guadalupe River topped its banks. When pushed about why evacuations did not occur earlier, Kelly doubled down. “We didn't know this flood was coming. Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming. …This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States.”
And when asked Tuesday at what time warnings were issued, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said he was focused on search and rescue.
“It's not that easy, and you just push a button. Okay? There's a lot more to that, and we've told you several times,” he said. A reporter then asked, “Did it happen?” to which Leitha responded, “I can't tell you at this time.”
But The Texas Newsroom has learned that not only does the county have a mass-alert system for public emergencies, first responders asked that it be triggered early Friday morning.
Gov. Greg Abbott says 161 people are still missing, including Camp Mystic campers
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced during a press conference on Tuesday that 161 people remain unaccounted for throughout the Hill Country.
“We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” Abbott said.
Among them are five Camp Mystic campers and one counselor, Abbott said.
An inspiring tale of 2 girls rescued in the Texas Hill Country floods went viral. It wasn't true
It was a miraculous story: two girls rescued alive, nearly 30 feet up in a tree, two days after a devastating flood hit the Texas Hill Country and claimed the lives of more than 100 people.
The story was reported in local media and shared hundreds of times across several social media platforms. It was an inspiring tale, giving people a glimmer of hope during a tumultuous time.
But just as quickly as it spread, the story was debunked by state and local officials as an all-too-common case of misinformation during a disaster.
Survivors are beginning to pick up the pieces
Across the Texas Hill Country, flood survivors are returning to homes filled with mud, debris and sewage – some with wildlife still swimming through hallways. In Ingram and other hard-hit areas, families are sorting through waterlogged furniture, ruined keepsakes and collapsed walls.
Despite the devastation, many are focused on what they still have: their lives, their loved ones and support from neighbors.
"We lost everything inside the home, but we have our lives," Lilia Herrera said.
Read more stories from those who survived the floods from TPR.
An Austin nonprofit is leading animal rescue efforts
Austin Pets Alive! has been working in Kerrville and surrounding areas, focusing on:
- Emergency sheltering and vet care for rescued animals
- Reuniting pets with their families whenever possible
- Transporting adoptable pets to safer areas to free up space in local shelter.
APA! is urging the public to donate only through official channels to avoid scams. Monetary support is most needed. Read more from the Texas Standard.
A family credits their narrow escape on their knowledge of the area
David Beebe and his family narrowly escaped the flood’s wrath thanks to their intimate knowledge of the land. Staying at a riverfront home built on high stilts, they spotted risk early – about 3:45 a.m. – when relentless rain intensified.
Read more about the Beebe family's harrowing escape from floodwaters from the Texas Standard.
A statewide emergency response is underway. Here's what it entails.
The state has mobilized a slew of resources to support flood recovery efforts, including more than 1,700 personnel and nearly 1,000 vehicles.
More than 20 state agencies are now active across the affected region. Texas remains at a Level II escalated emergency response – one step below the highest alert level – as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
Gov. Greg Abbott to address flood response at 3 p.m. Tuesday
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott will hold a press conference today at 3 p.m. to update the public on the state’s response to the deadly floods. He’s expected to speak on emergency operations, aid efforts and ongoing recovery.
Check back here for coverage following the governor’s remarks.
Fort Worth singer Pat Green’s personal tragedy amid flooding
Members of Pat Green’s family are among those unaccounted for following the floods that ravaged Texas over the weekend.
The Fort Worth-based country singer’s younger brother, sister-in-law and two of their children are missing, according to an Instagram post from Green’s wife.
26 miles of the Guadalupe River have been searched since Friday
Lt. Col. Ben Baker with the Texas Game Wardens gave an update on search efforts at a press conference on Tuesday.
"It's extremely treacherous, time consuming. It's dirty work," he said. "The water's still there. So we're having to go layer by layer, peeling these off to make those recoveries."
Baker said the game wardens have conducted more than 400 rescues and 30 recoveries.
He says additional rain this week could potentially alter, but not deter, search and recovery efforts.
Kerr County officials say drones and fires are hurting rescue efforts
Officials say a private drone collided with a rescue helicopter in Kerr County on Monday, forcing it to make an emergency landing and rendering it out of service.
Airspace is restricted over the search zone.
Kerr County Commissioners also approved a burn ban on Monday after burning debris was interfering with search and rescue efforts along the Guadalupe River.
"We already have enough obstacles we're going through in the search and rescue," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said. "This could hamper [it] in several ways. We're worried about our aircraft, we're worried about drones, we're worried about it putting off heat. What do we look for at night? We look for a heat source."
Heat put off by fires interferes with heat-detecting equipment being used in the search process.
FEMA offers aid to Kerr County residents
Homeowners and renters impacted by the floods may qualify for federal assistance, including temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss, or other disaster-caused needs. Read more about how to apply for relief from TPR.
A Mesquite man’s mission to find missing people leads him to the Guadalupe River
A North Texas man from Mesquite who has made it his life’s mission to find missing people is helping others search for their loved ones following this weekend’s flooding along the Guadalupe River.
“I’m exhausted,” said Alfonso Solis, who spent the weekend offering support to first responders. He came back to his residence in Mesquite on Monday for some respite and to see his family — but plans to return to Kerr County on Tuesday to continue the work.
Flash floods slam Central Texas, leaving at least 14 dead
Flash floods struck Austin-area counties over the holiday weekend. Homes were swamped, bridges washed out and at least 14 people were killed across Travis, Williamson and Burnet counties, with many still missing. Read more from KUT News.
Why were the floods so devastating?
The Texas Hill Country – spanning Kerrville and Central Texas – is part of what meteorologists call “flash flood alley,” a landscape marked by steep limestone hills and winding rivers that unleash sudden, destructive floods when heavy rain hits.
Read more about why this region is one of the most dangerous in the country for flash flooding.
Camp Mystic: A sacred sanctuary shattered
Camp Mystic, the 99-year-old Christian girls' summer retreat nestled on the banks of the Guadalupe River, was more than a camp – it was “my favorite place in the entire world,” recalled former camper Lauren Garcia. Now, the popular all-girls camp set among limestone hills 80 miles northwest of San Antonio is the site of an unfolding tragedy.
Read more about the history of Camp Mystic from The Texas Newsroom.
How to help and how to find help
Survivors need to find out how to rebuild their lives. People from throughout the region, the state and the nation are eager to assist them in some way.
Here is some guidance for both people who need help and those who want to help.
Lives lost, stories left behind
Pickup trucks lie half-submerged in fields of debris. Family photo albums, mud-caked and torn, are scattered where homes once stood. The aftermath of catastrophic flash floods has left the Texas Hill Country reeling.
Among the dead are 27 children who were attending Camp Mystic, a Christian girls’ summer camp that became the heart of one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.