Texas county deflects mounting questions over actions before deadly flood
At a series of briefings since the flooding on July 4, Kerr County officials have deflected a series of pointed questions about preparations and warnings as forecasters warned of life-threatening conditions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
More rain? What to know about the forecast for San Angelo
Still reeling from Friday's record-breaking 14 inches of rain, San Angelo and the surrounding area will have a chance of more rain through Monday before getting some relief from soggy conditions. The National Weather Service in San Angelo warned of possible thunderstorms on top of major flooding that began early Friday and caused area rivers to rise from their banks. Flooding in San Angelo on Friday swept debris and vehicles down some streets. The weather service called the conditions "life threatening" and urged people not to venture onto the roads. Stephen Harrison with the NWS San Angelo office told the Standard-Times on Friday the heaviest rain occurred in Grape Creek northwest of San Angelo where 14 inches was reported, and 9 inches was reported nearby in Wall. Live updates Saturday: San Angelo staggers, rallies in aftermath of flooding; name released of victim found dead The official total for San Angelo for July 4 until 1 p.m. Saturday 2.63 inches of rain. Besides a slight chance of rain on Monday, the San Angelo area has a forecast of dry weather through Friday with daytime high temperatures in the mid-90s and overnight lows in the low 70s. More: What to know about getting help after the flood, making donations in San Angelo area This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: San Angelo weather more rain in forecast after historic flooding
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Independence Day's 14-inch rainfall swamps city, county and region in record flood
(This story was updated to add photos.) Describing Independence Day's early morning rainfall over Tom Green County as 'historic," county Judge Lane Carter asked everyone in the county and region to be vigilant for the possibility of more flooding through the day. 'We don't know what those numbers will be, but we can see waters rising in the interior and south of town,' he said during a Friday morning press conference. 'Always be aware of where you are driving, where you live, to ensure those waters are not going to negatively affect citizens not being affected at this time because there is a potential for that later.' Heavy rains that fell in Thursday's evening hours in Abilene moved south after midnight to fall in north Tom Green County. Stephen Harrison with the National Weather Service Office in San Angelo said by phone that the rain there began at 12:24 a.m. Friday with the heaviest in Grape Creek about 7 miles northwest of San Angelo. 'There was a rainfall amount of 14 inches in Grape Creek,' he said, adding that in nearby Wall, 9 inches of rain were recorded. For San Angelo, it broke the 1981 July 4 rainfall record of 2.31 inches. Harrison said the potential for more rain will continue Friday into Saturday but falling more toward the Hill Country. By Monday, skies should be clear. San Angelo Police Chief Travis Griffith asked everyone to pray for their community, saying recovery efforts were far from over. 'We still have a lot of people we are going to be looking for and checking,' he said. 'Also, if you are in a flooded area and you have left, please contact the San Angelo Police Department to make sure we know you are okay.' Police officers, firefighters, county deputies, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and others have coordinated their response. Griffith provided the police department's phone number, 325-657-4315, for those who have left their homes to call. 'We are going to be doing active door-to-door searches in several parts of town,' he said. DPS Sgt. Justin Baker restated the cautions regarding the storm and the dangers from it not having yet passed. 'Water is very deceiving. It can look like it's not moving, but underneath, very fast currents (can) sweep you away,' he said. 'Some roadways might be open, but that can change. As more water is pushing through, as any structures break, you'll find more flooding in areas that didn't have flooding before.' Harrison explained how runoff from heavy rain can sweep through and flood an area long after skies have cleared. 'It could be sunny, and you could still come across flooded roads,' he said. 'If you do come across one you want to turn around, don't drown.' Abilene experienced the effects of runoff flooding during the July 4, 2002, rain event that brought 6 inches to the city but significantly more to Buffalo Gap. Though the rains had cleared by mid-day, residents in heavily flooded Buffalo Gap accurately predicted the inundation surrounding them would arrive in the Key City withing the next eight hours. Over 600 homes were damaged, and the city was declared a National Disaster area by the time it was over. In San Angelo, Griffith said the rain began to pick up by 2 a.m. Friday. But at 5 a.m., the situation changed dramatically when for the next hour, 911 dispatchers received over 100 calls for water rescue assistance. Lane first heard about flooding at 5 a.m. near the area of FM Road 2105 and U.S. Highway 87 on the north side of San Angelo. 'I received a phone call informing me of multiple water rescues being performed by our (volunteer fire departments) on the north side of the county,' he said. 'At that time, we established a temporary shelter here at the Texas AgriLife Center out here north of Highway 87 where it formed as our incident command center and a shelter for those being affected.' As the rate of rescue calls increased, Griffith said city dump trucks were drafted into use as transports while citizens volunteered boats to assist first responders. According to him, the water was so high in some places that residents were being rescued from attics and atop roofs. Buses from the Tom Green County Jail and San Angelo ISD were pressed into service to transport the rescued back to the Texas AgriLife Center. Multiple rescues also began taking place within the city itself as the floodwaters began moving through and the rain continued. 'We saw countless times deputies, troopers, police officers and firemen putting their lives on the line to save people,' Griffith said. 'I am so thankful for our people.' Lane said they were in the process of drafting a formal disaster declaration. 'We will be signing that as both county and city and submitting that to the office of the governor,' he said. He urged those who have been impacted by the storm to document any damage. Those pictures and testimonials can be used to highlight the financial impact on the community and provide a reference point for any relief funding. San Angelo Mayor Tom Thompson praised the response and said there was still plenty of work left to do. 'All the assets that have been organized and put together have just been outstanding,' he said. He and others implored residents not affected by flooding to stay away from those neighborhoods. 'If you don't need to go somewhere, please don't. Please stay in place,' Thompson said. 'When you drive through neighborhoods, the water you (displace) pushes up into the houses. I want everyone to stay in place just as long as they can.' He said garbage trucks from Republic Services will be available for clearing debris Friday once their trucks' yard clears of water. 'They are bringing in resources from around the state and are going to be full-steam tomorrow getting wherever they can,' he said. 'We are going to close the landfill. It will be only open to Republican Services trucks.' PaulAnn Church at 2531 Smith Blvd. has been established as the new command center and hub for relief information and supplies. The mayor said a second press conference from the church was scheduled for later in the day at 5 p.m. Friday. For transportation to the church, Thompson advised calling the Concho Valley Transit Authority at 325-234-0251. Those wishing to volunteer should reach out to the United Way of the Concho Valley, which is coordinating those efforts at 325-949-3716. Friday's fireworks show over Lake Nasworthy was rescheduled for Saturday evening. A flood warning remains in effect until 9 p.m. Friday for Tom Green and Coke counties, as well as other portions of west central Texas, according to the weather service. For the Big Country, areas between Nolan and Callahan counties, as well as between Brown and Coke counties, a flood watch was in effect until 7 p.m. Friday. With waters both receding and flooding as runoff continues, Baker suggested all motorists visit for the latest road conditions in the region and across the state. 'We encourage people to stay home and stay safe,' Carter said. More: At least 13 dead as officials rush to save lives following floods in Texas' Guadalupe River: Updates More: San Angelo family loses second daughter to Huntington's disease: Here's how to help This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Hearts and a 44-year record break with 14-inch July 4 rainfall
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Another calamity: The closest forerunner in San Angelo's history of floods was decades ago
The July Fourth floods in San Angelo will go down in the record books as the wettest day in the city's history. The only other days that came close were recorded nearly 100 years ago in 1936. In mid-September of 1936, the city of San Angelo experienced downpours for multiple days, resulting in massive flooding from rainfall — an estimated 25.22 inches, according to Standard-Times archives. The rain began Sept. 15 with 11.75 inches, the most recorded in a single day for San Angelo at that point. Then the rainfall continued for another three days: 1.18 inches Sept. 16 4.64 inches Sept. 17 7.64 inches Sept. 18 More: Waking up to disaster: How San Angelo is weathering a flood. What happened and what now? As a result, the North Concho River overflowed with water on Sept. 17, 1936, wiping away entire blocks of houses and flooding most of the downtown area. Some estimates reported that nearly 300 homes were washed away in the flood. Water levels were reported to reach 10 feet in the lobby of the Naylor Hotel. In response, the city built two reservoirs: O.C. Fisher Dam and Lake on the north side of town inside the San Angelo State Park and Twin Buttes Reservoir in the south, mainly to control the water levels for both the north and south Concho rivers should the area see that much rainfall again. According to the Standard-Times archives, the 1936 flood claimed two lives and left over 2,000 people homeless. It destroyed two of the three bridges in town, wreaking damage of over $5,000,000. The July Fourth rainfall did not overflow the North Concho River as it did in 1936. But the reported 14 inches on Independence Day is the most recorded rainfall in a single day the city has seen since then. More: What to know about getting help after the flood, making donations in San Angelo area Paul Witwer covers high school sports and Angelo State University sports for The San Angelo Standard-Times. Reach him at sports@ Follow him on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @Paul_Witwer. This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: San Angelo July Fourth flooding draws similarities to 1936 disaster
