Families sift through debris and begin cleanup as Texas flood death toll rises
Families in Hunt, Texas, can be seen searching through the wreckage of their homes, left devastated by the disaster.
Resident Regan Brown, whose parents' home was affected by flooding, said he has been helping neighbours salvage what they can.
'Everything is soaked. It weighs five times as much as it would normally. So it's a slow process,' he said.
The death toll has climbed to at least 82, with dozens still missing after a sudden flash flood struck early Friday morning.
Torrential rain along the Guadalupe River caused water levels to surge before dawn, sweeping away vehicles and obliterating homes in its path.
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The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Texas floods latest: Death toll surpasses 100 as hope fades in search for dozens still missing
The death toll from the Texas flooding disaster reached 105 victims on Tuesday as crews began to shift from rescue operations to recovery as the hope of finding survivors faded. The majority of the victims were killed in Kerr County after the Guadalupe River rose almost 24 feet in under an hour early on July 4, carrying off vehicles, RVs and lifting buildings from their foundations. Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp on the riverbank, confirmed 27 girls and staff members had been killed with 11 still missing. Hundreds of emergency responders continued to search through debris with the flood's footprint stretching more than 100km. They asked people to keep away from the disaster zone to avoid hampering search efforts. On Monday night, a helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing after it collided with a private drone. Central Texas, including the area around Kerrville, is expected to be much drier Wednesday after days of rain and ongoing flood risks, though forecasters suggest there is a chance of a thunderstorm later in the evening – a potential trigger for further flash flooding. Trump confirms Texas visit with Melania on Friday Donald Trump has confirmed that he will be visiting Texas on Friday with First Lady Melania Trump, to survey the damage caused by the devastating flooding. 'I'll be going down on Friday with the First Lady, we'll be taking a trip,' he said at a cabinet meeting Wednesday. 'We don't want to get in anyone's way, because that's what happens – a president goes and everyone is focused – I don't want anyone to focus on us.' The president added: 'What a tragic situation.' Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 17:08 How Texas flash floods burst into a deadly tide in mere hours With at least 105 dead and two dozen still missing, Friday's catastrophic flash flooding in Central Texas ranks among the worst natural disasters in the state's history. The brunt of the disaster centered in Kerr County, where the torrential rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to burst its banks, taking 84 victims, including 28 children. Here's what you need to know: How Texas flash floods burst into a deadly tide in mere hours What began as a routine flood developed into a deadly disaster, with the death toll now in triple digits Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 17:06 Fox News Commentator says Democrats have convinced people that 'if you vote for them they will make the weather good' Fox News Commentator Charles Hurt claimed that the Democrats have convinced people that 'if you vote for them they will make the weather good.' Watch below: 8 July 2025 16:55 Kerr County Sheriff dodges questions on flood response timeline Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha was unable to answer a question about whether the local emergency manager was awake at the time that the first flooding alert came out. Asked about specific timings at a press conference Tuesday, Leitha replied: 'We're in the process of trying to put a timeline. That is not my priority at this time.' 'Was the emergency manager awake?' a reported asked. 'I can't tell you at this time,' Leitha replied. Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 16:36 Some bodies have been released to families Some bodies have been released to their families though some remain in autopsy, Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a new conference Wednesday. Sheriff Leitha said it was uncertain how many remain missing. Authorities will hold another press conference at 5 p.m. unless there was a critical update. Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 16:32 Kerr County official urges public not to visit the area Community Services Officer Jonathan Lamb, urged people to stay away from the area. 'We understand there's natural curiosity, people want to come and see the flood damage,' he said at a news conference Wednesday. 'Now is not the time for sightseeing, this operation is ongoing.' Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 16:21 Kerr County officials provide update on search efforts Kerr County officials are now providing update on search and rescue efforts. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha told reporters that his priorities were 'locating the people out there, identifying and notifying their next of kin.' Sheriff Leitha appeared to initially dodge questions about who the emergency manager was and whether they were awake at the time. Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 16:15 Some first responders forced to drop from helicopter due to conditions Burnet County, Texas Chief Deputy Alan Trevino told CNN News Central that some first responders had been forced to drop from helicopters into remote areas due to ongoing conditions. "It's couple of few things. One is we have continued to get rain. And so when we have rain in the area we're concerned about... our volunteers and our first responders caught out in potentially another flashflood,' he said, in an interview with the broacaster Wednesday. 'So we have to call them back. And getting to some of these locations, we are having to drop teams by helicopter into these remote areas. And so it's long. And then with the teams that are searching, it's hot, it's humid, and so we're having to rotate significantly just because of the exhaustion for both human and canine on these searches. He added: 'Additionally, because of how damp it is, we cannot, in some areas get – we won't be able to get horses in at this point. And additionally, with the cadaver dogs on some of these – we're putting cadaver dogs in boats. 'And so it's tough work but we're working, we're – as the days continue, the terrain dries out and we will continue to bring the resources that we need to be the most effective.' Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 16:12 Former NOAA administrator 'convinced' NWS staff cuts hindered comms with emergency management Richard Spinrad, former administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has said he is "convinced" that cuts to staffing at the National Weather Service, hindered communication with emergency managers ahead of the devastating storms. "I've talked with any number of my friends in the weather service and colleagues in the commercial weather community and to a person, one of the first questions they asked was, 'Where was the WCM – the warning coordination meteorologist?'' Spinrad told CNN News Central Tuesday. 'I am convinced that the staff cuts that we saw were a contributing factor to the inability of the emergency managers to respond. 'The staffing was just fine, and the White House has concurred with this, to get the forecast out and to get the watches and warnings issued, but when you send a message there's no guarantee it's being received. 'So someone needs to follow up, and that's the warning coordination meteorologist – a position that was vacant." Mike Bedigan8 July 2025 16:00 In pictures: Vehicular carnage strewn along the Guadalupe River Mike Bedigan
The Independent
38 minutes ago
- The Independent
Texas rescue helicopter forced to make emergency landing after colliding with private drone
A helicopter used for rescue and recovery operations in flood-stricken Texas was grounded after it collided with a private drone flying in restricted airspace. The city of Kerrville, Texas, put out an advisory on Monday asking residents to keep their drones grounded until first responders finish searching for flood victims and survivors. "This afternoon, a private drone illegally operating in restricted airspace collided with a helicopter involved in emergency operations in Kerr County. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing, and a critical piece of response equipment is now out of service until further notice," the city said in a statement on Facebook. "This was entirely preventable." Heavy rains in central Texas caused the Guadalupe River to surge beyond its banks and flood the surrounding region over the weekend. At least 104 people — including 28 children, some of which were at a summer camp — have been killed across six counties. First responders are searching for survivors using helicopters, and temporary flight restrictions have been put in place in some parts of the state. "Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are not suggestions. They are federal airspace rules designed to protect lives during emergency situations. When you fly a drone in restricted areas, you're not just breaking the law — you're putting first responders, emergency crews, and the public at serious risk," the city wrote in a statement. As of Tuesday, a TRF lasting until July 13 bars pilots and drone operators from flying over a large portion of the Guadalupe River, unless they are officially part of the relief effort. On Sunday, Kerrville City Manager asked locals to keep their personal drones grounded. 'We know that people want to volunteer, but what we are starting to see is personal drones flying,' Rice said. 'These personal drones flying is a danger to aircraft, which then risks further operations.' It's not the first time a drone has disrupted a relief mission. During the massive Palisades wildfire in Los Angeles earlier this year, a drone hit a firefighting airplane. The damage from the impact forced the plane to land for repairs as neighborhoods burned. The ongoing search effort in Texas is massive, with more than 20 state agencies are responding to the flooding, including approximately 1,750 state officials and nearly 1,000 state vehicles, according to Texas Governor Gregg Abbott. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is sending a search and rescue team comprised primarily of firefighters, paramedics, physicians and engineers to assist in the recovery efforts, and Governor Glen Youngkin of Virginia is sending the state's water rescue teams to Texas to assist in the search. Crews from Florida, Pennsylvania, California and even Mexico have been sent to join in the response effort. The Cajun Navy, a renown volunteer group who use their boats to search for missing people, have also rushed to assist in the search efforts in Texas.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
How Texas flash floods burst into a deadly tide in mere hours
With at least 105 dead and two dozen still missing, Friday's catastrophic flash flooding in Central Texas ranks among the worst natural disasters in the state's history. The brunt of the disaster centered in Kerr County, where the torrential rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to burst its banks, taking 84 victims, including 28 children. Among those killed were 27 young girls and staff members at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp situated on the riverbank. Eleven were still missing on Tuesday morning. What began as a routine flood watch quickly devolved into a deadly disaster. The National Weather Service predicted between one and three inches of rain, with some isolated spots possibly getting five to seven inches. Instead, parts of Kerr County were slammed with 10 to 15 inches, and in some places, over 20 inches, within a few hours. The storm is believed to be fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and leftovers from Tropical Storm Barry, according to San Antonio Express-News meteorologist Anthony Franze. These combined to create a slow-moving weather system that slowed over the area and dumped heavy rain over hills and valleys. The geography of Hill Country made things worse. The steep hills and rocky land don't absorb water well, so rain quickly flows into creeks and rivers. This caused the Guadalupe River to rise rapidly to its second-highest level ever recorded, even higher than a historic 1987 flood, Franze said. The area is often called ' Flash Flood Alley' because it's prone to these kinds of fast, dangerous floods, Hatim Sharif, a hydrologist and civil engineer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said in an article for The Conversation. Experts say predicting exactly where and how much rain will fall is difficult, and this storm caught many off guard. Dr. Jess Neumann of the University of Reading said this was a 'tragic reminder of the dangers of sudden extreme rainfall and flash flooding.' 'This terrible event, in which children are missing and many have died, raises critical questions about effective early warning systems, flood planning and preparedness in the region,' Neumann said in a news release. 'It cannot be right that a flood of this magnitude, in an area known to be at high risk of flash floods, caused such devastation and has taken so many people by surprise.' The flood struck in the middle of the night when most people were asleep. There weren't strong warning systems in place to alert residents or campers in time to escape. 'We didn't know this flood was coming,' Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said Friday. 'No one knew this kind of flood was coming.' Chuck Schumer, the Senate's top Democrat, demanded that the government's watchdog investigate whether the Trump administration's cuts to the National Weather Service 's workforce increased the death toll. The strength of the flood was depicted by a 22-year-old woman who was swept 20 miles downstream and survived by clinging to a tree until help arrived. More than 850 people had been rescued by Tuesday morning, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott stating that over 1,750 personnel from 20 state agencies had been deployed so far to respond to flood threats. As the hopes of finding survivors faded, hundreds of emergency responders continued to search through the debris. 'Texas is working tirelessly to assist local officials with recovery and rescue operations,' Abbott wrote on X Monday. 'Texas will not stop until every missing person is found.'
