Death toll rises past 100 as flash floods devastate Texas — here's how you can help
"As we pray for our fellow Texans who have been impacted by the devastating flooding, please donate to support ongoing recovery and relief efforts," Beto O'Rourke, who formerly represented Texas in Congress, posted on X.
For those looking for ways to help, O'Rourke included a link to the Kerr County Relief Fund, which is being operated by the Community Foundation of the Texas Hills Country. The Times also pointed to the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department, a volunteer search and rescue organization called Texsar, an Austin-based pet rescue effort, the World Central Kitchen, and a list of individual GoFundMe pages.
In the early morning hours of July 4, heavy rains led the Guadalupe River to rise 20 feet in just one hour in the area around Kerrville, Texas, CBS Reported.
The Llano River in Llano County, Texas, also reached catastrophic flooding levels over the weekend, cresting at 26.5 feet, according to CNN. The moderate flood level on the Llano River is 12 feet.
The suddenness, magnitude, and middle-of-the-night timing of the flash floods caught many local residents completely by surprise.
Controversially, local officials did not call for evacuations before the floods hit, a decision some have questioned in hindsight.
"Evacuation is a delicate balance, because if you evacuate too late, then you risk putting buses, or cars, or vehicles or campers on the roads, into low water areas," explained Dalton Rice, Kerrville City Manager, per CNN.
"It's very tough to make those calls, because what we also don't want to do is cry wolf," Rice continued.
Whether or not evacuations would have made a positive difference, the impact of the flooding has been nothing short of catastrophic with at least 104 confirmed deaths and the toll still climbing, per the Times and CNN, and at least 11 still missing.
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Among the lives lost were 27 youth campers and counselors at Camp Mystic, a nondenominational Christian summer camp for girls that had been in operation for 99 years, per the Guardian.
"Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy," read a statement issued by Camp Mystic, according to the Guardian. "We are praying for them constantly."
Even days later, torrential rains continued to batter the region, complicating search-and-rescue efforts while threatening further flooding, per CNN.
While it is not possible to scientifically connect any single severe weather event to human causes, rising global temperatures have increased the severity of climate disasters.
A study by Climate Central found that, of the 144 cities analyzed, 88% experienced an increase in hourly rainfall intensity since 1970, with rainfall rates across those locations having gone up by 15%.
Rising global temperatures have been largely responsible for this increase, Climate Central found.
For every one degree Fahrenheit of temperature increase, "air can hold 4% more moisture, increasing the chances of heavier downpours that contribute to flash flooding hazards," Climate Central said.
To avoid the most catastrophic consequences of global temperature increases, it is necessary to significantly reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution entering the atmosphere.
Even small steps like using public transit or riding a bicycle whenever possible can add up to making a big difference.
If you are in a position to do so, installing solar panels and a battery system in your home reduces the amount of planet-warming pollution your family generates while also making your home more resilient in the event of a power outage.
Again, as mentioned above, the Kerr County Relief Fund and the Center Point Volunteer Fire Department are great places to donate to offer the best local help in response to this tragedy.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
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