Texas officials to give update on floods as death toll rises to 59
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha says 38 adults and 21 children have been killed, with 18 adults and four children pending identification - watch the news conference above
He adds that 11 Camp Mystic campers and one councillor remain unaccounted for - here's what we know about the camp
Drone footage from Georgetown shows the scale of devastation in central Texas - as reaction has been pouring in from key figures
Anthony says he's lost everything in the floods as his home was filled with mud and debris, writes the BBC's Angélica Casas
Texas officials to give update on floods as death toll rises to 59
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Texas woman describes harrowing escape from flooding
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What to know about the flash floods in Texas that killed more than 80 people
The floods grew to their worst at the midpoint of a long holiday weekend when many people were asleep. The Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state is naturally prone to flash flooding due to the dry dirt-packed areas where the soil lets rain skid along the surface of the landscape instead of soaking it up. Friday's flash floods started with a particularly bad storm that dropped most of its 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in the dark early morning hours. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up After a flood watch notice midday Thursday, the National Weather Service office issued an urgent warning around 4 a.m. that raised the potential of catastrophic damage and a severe threat to human life. By at least 5:20 a.m., some in the Kerrville City area say water levels were getting alarmingly high. The massive rain flowing down hills sent rushing water into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes. Advertisement Death toll is expected to rise and the number of missing is uncertain Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday that there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted for across the state and more could be missing. Advertisement In Kerr County, home to youth camps in the Texas Hill Country, searchers have found the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha said Sunday afternoon. Fatalities in nearby counties brought the total number of deaths to 79 as of Sunday evening. Ten girls and a counselor were still unaccounted for at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief. Beyond the Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, the number of missing from other nearby campgrounds and across the region had not been released. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said Saturday, citing the likely influx of visitors during the July Fourth holiday. Officials face scrutiny over flash flood warnings Survivors have described the floods as a 'pitch black wall of death' and said they received no emergency warnings. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who lives along the Guadalupe River, said Saturday that " nobody saw this coming." Various officials have referred to it as a '100-year-flood,' meaning that the water levels were highly unlikely based on the historical record. And records behind those statistics don't always account for human-caused climate change. Though it's hard to connect specific storms to a warming planet so soon after they occur, meteorologists say that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and allow severe storms to dump even more rain. Additionally, officials have come under scrutiny about why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner than 4 a.m. or told to evacuate. Officials noted that the public can grow weary from too many flooding alerts or forecasts that turn out to be minor. Advertisement Kerr county officials said they had presented a proposal for a more robust flood warning system, similar to a tornado warning system, but that members of the public reeled at the cost. On Sunday, officials walked out of a news briefing after reporters asked them again about delays in alerts and evacuations. Monumental clearing and rebuilding effort The flash floods have erased campgrounds and torn homes from their foundations. 'It's going to be a long time before we're ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild it,' Kelly said Saturday after surveying the destruction from a helicopter. Other massive flooding events have driven residents and business owners to give up, including in areas struck last year by Hurricane Helene. President Donald Trump said he would likely visit the flood zone on Friday. AP photographers have captured the scale of the destruction, and one of Texas' largest rescue and recover efforts.
USA Today
an hour ago
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Extreme flooding ravaged central Texas. USA TODAY answers your FAQs
Historic flash floods swept across central Texas and left at least 81 dead. Authorities are searching for those still missing, including 10 children and a counselor from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp at the edge of the Guadalupe River. USA TODAY readers have lots of questions about the flooding, as well as the recovery efforts. Here are some of the answers. Got more questions? Fill out this form and check back for updates as we take on more of your questions. Why was there no warning? The extreme flooding began around 4:00 a.m. on July 4, as storms dumped more than 10 inches of rain over the Texas Hill Country. State emergency management officials warned as early as July 2 that west and central Texas faced heavy rains and flash flood threats, citing National Weather Service forecasts ahead of the holiday weekend. Meteorologists on July 3 predicted a 'slight' risk – or level 2 out of 4 – for flash flooding. But there were no predictions of catastrophic floods. That same day, the National Weather Service released a 'flood watch' for eight Hill Country counties, including Kerr. The advisory predicted 1 to 3 inches of rain and up to 7 inches in some places. The weather service's Austin office put out a 'flash flood emergency' bulletin at 4:03 a.m. on Friday, when many were still asleep. 'This is a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for South-central Kerr County, including Hunt,' the bulletin said. 'This is a PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. SEEK HIGHER GROUND NOW!' What's the death toll now? As of Sunday evening, state and local authorities said at least 81 people have died in the flooding. As of Sunday afternoon, Sheriff Larry Leitha of Kerr County, where the worst of the flooding occurred, said authorities had recovered the bodies of 40 adults and 28 children. What is being done to save people in the area? Search and rescue efforts are underway for people who are still missing. Crews have been working around the clock to find the missing, traversing swollen waterways and scouring riverbanks littered with mangled trees and rubble. As of Sunday, about 650 people have been rescued, officials said. How bad was the flooding and is the weather expected to get worse? The gauge on the Guadalupe River near Kerrville surged from less than two feet to more than 34 feet in just over an hour on July 4. On Sunday, forecasters expected several more inches of rain and warned of additional flooding and a worsening of conditions on the ground. Is there flooding in the San Antonio area? Was Brady, Texas affected by the flood? What Texas cities were flooded? Several cities in the Central Texas region between San Antonio and Austin were hit by the unrelenting rain over the weekend. Portions of at least four cities in the region took on more than 10 inches of rain during the Independence Day weekend: Liberty Hill, 20.6; Lakeway, 13.5; Kerrville, 11.9; and Leander 10.5. What are some things I can do to help? The Red Cross, World Central Kitchen, Kerr County Relief Fund, are taking donations on their websites. Crowdfunding website GoFundMe has a page for verified fundraisers connected to the flooding in Central Texas. The page will be updated as fundraisers are verified, according to GoFundMe. Austin Pets Alive! reported that it has taken in over 50 animals from Kerr and Williamson counties as of July 5. In a July 6 update, the shelter said that they are coordinating a volunteer search and rescue group to find animals along the riverbank. The shelter also said it is seeking donations on its website to provide support to families that have lost pets, including body recovery and cremation services. The Salvation Army Kroc Center in Kerrville is coordinating and accepting donations of nonperishable goods, personal hygiene items, diapers and other items. The organization is providing regular updates on its Instagram page.
