Rescues from Texas' officials are 'nothing short of a miracle,' state lawmaker says
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CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Cabin with people inside swept away by floodwaters in Texas
Catastrophic flooding in Texas swept a cabin at Camp La Junta down the Guadalupe River with four camp staff members stuck inside. CNN spoke to the father of one of the staff members who said the men inside were eventually able to safely exit the cabin after it stopped.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Texas Officials Avoid Questions On Flood Response
Kerr County officials Tuesday appeared to dodge questions about how soon they were notified about deadly flash floods in central Texas and who was responsible for immediate response efforts, as law enforcement warned the death toll from the flooding will likely rise. The Kerr County judge said a warning system was not in place before flash floods killed more than ... More 100 people. Getty Images Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha, responding to a question about how county residents were alerted about the flash floods, said a timeline about the alerts is 'not my priority at this time,' adding, 'There are three priorities. That's locating the people out there, identifying, notifying the next of kin—that is what I'm taking as my job as sheriff.' Lt. Col. Ben Baker of the Texas Game Wardens, the state's parks and wildlife department, deflected other questions about how quickly Kerr County officials responded to the flash flooding, saying officials were 'focused on bringing people home.' Leitha said he was not notified about flash floods until sometime between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. CDT on July 4, about three hours after the National Weather Service's first public warning alert. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is holding a press conference this afternoon covering the flash floods, while Kerr County officials are scheduled to host a briefing at 6 p.m. EDT. How Soon Was Texas Alerted About Flash Floods? The National Weather Service said in a statement that flash flood warnings were issued that gave 'preliminary lead times of more than three hours.' Later alerts reportedly warned of a 'life-threatening situation' in central Texas. On July 4, the agency said flash flooding was 'likely' in the region, with 'significant impacts possible' as up to six inches of rain was forecast in some areas. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said Friday 'no one knew this kind of flood was coming' and the county 'had no reason to believe that this was going to be anything like what's happened here.' Despite suggesting officials were caught off guard, Kelly said Kerr County does not have a warning system and he 'can't answer' why evacuations weren't carried out. Key Background At least 108 people have died after flash flooding in central Texas over the Fourth of July weekend, according to Kerr County officials. Of those, Leitha said 87 were recovered in Kerr County, including 30 children. Some campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp by the Guadalupe River, are still missing, Leitha said. Debate over the region's response to the flooding, described by the White House as a 'once-in-a-generation natural disaster,' has ensued in recent days. Texas Division of Emergency Management chief W. Nim Kidd said Friday early National Weather Service forecasts 'did not predict the amount of rain that we saw.' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem applauded the agency, though she noted President Donald Trump wanted to improve its 'ancient' warning system. Forbes Was Texas Warned Of Flooding Properly? Here's What We Know By Zachary Folk Forbes Texas Flood Live Updates: White House Says Blaming Trump For Flooding A 'Depraved Lie' As Death Toll Reaches 104 By Antonio Pequeño IV
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Texas floods update: Threat of flash flooding continues on Monday as death toll climbs
A flood watch continues to be in effect on Monday for the Texas Hill Country, an area where at least 90 people have died after unrelenting storms hit on July 4. The National Weather Service warned that the threat of flash flooding remains across Central Texas as slow-moving heavy rains continue overnight and through the day on Monday, July 7. The area could see two to four inches of additional rainfall, with isolated amounts of 10 inches possible. Additional heavy rainfall over the past few days in the hardest-hit areas could lead to rapid runoff and flash flooding. At least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, a well-known all-girls summer camp in Kerr County, were among the dead after severe flooding swept through the area. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said during a Monday news conference that 10 girls and one counselor remain missing. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact locations where isolated heavier amounts of rainfall will occur, the National Weather Service said. At least 81 people have died in the flooding since Friday, officials said. 68 people, including 40 adults and 28 children died in Kerr County. An all-girls summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River, Camp Mystic, said was grieving the loss of 27 campers and counselors. Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to continue searching for those who are still unaccounted for. "We will remain 100% dedicated, searching for every single one of the children who were at Camp Mystic as well as anybody else in the entire riverbed," Abbott said in a news conference Sunday. "We are working as swiftly as possible." Abbott also warned Texans to stay vigilant ahead of more storms. "The next 2 days could pose public safety threats due to heavy rain. It's crucial that Texans remain vigilant," Abbott posted on Sunday. According to the National Weather Service, rain chances in Central Texas will decrease gradually on Tuesday, July 8, paving the way for drier and warmer conditions for the rest of the week. On July 4, rain was falling at 3-4 inches per hour, with some locations recording a deluge of up to seven inches of rain in just three hours, the National Weather Service said. Seven inches of rain is nearly 122 million gallons of water per square mile. The Kerrville area registered more than 11 inches of rain in the past three days. The Guadalupe River rose from less than a foot on July 3 to more than 34 feet in Kerrville by 6:45 a.m. on July 4. Other towns between San Antonio and Austin had nearly double the totals of Kerrville. Three rain gauges north of Austin registered more than 20 inches of rain between the mornings of July 3 and July 6. Twelve others showed more than 15 inches. 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. At least 90 people have died in the flooding since Friday, officials said. Below are the latest numbers of reported fatalities from state and local officials across Central Texas. Kerr County – 75 deaths Travis County – 7 deaths Burnet County – 3 deaths Kendall County – 2 deaths Williamson County - 2 deaths Tom Green County – 1 death The Guadalupe River begins in Texas Hill Country and flows for over 400 miles until it empties into San Antonio Bay at the Gulf of Mexico. USA Today contributed to this story. Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@ @NatassiaPaloma on X; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Latest Texas flood news: Threat of flash flooding continues on Monday
