Latest news with #KerrCountyOfficials
Fox News
4 days ago
- Climate
- Fox News
Texas county makes huge update to missing persons list after flood, with most found safe
Nearly 100 people who had still been listed as missing after deadly flash flooding swept across central Texas on July 4 have been found safe, with only three individuals still missing, Kerr County officials said Saturday. The updated missing list comes as the search entered its third week, marking a sharp decline from the more than 160 people initially unaccounted for in Kerr County alone. "This remarkable progress reflects countless hours of coordinated search and rescue operations, careful investigative work, and an unwavering commitment to bringing clarity and hope to families during an unimaginably difficult time," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in a statement the city shared on social media Saturday night. As of Sunday, the death toll in Kerr County stood at 107, including 70 adults and 37 children. Across Texas, at least 135 people were killed when the gushing waters of the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet, washing away homes and vehicles. The fast-rising waters tore through the Hill Country, where vacation cabins and youth camps line the riverbanks and hills of Kerr County. Camp Mystic, a century-old Christian summer camp for girls, lost at least 27 campers and counselors in the flood. Recovery efforts continue, with more than 1,000 local, state, and federal personnel – alongside thousands of volunteers from across the country – combing the area on foot from the river's headwaters to Canyon Lake. "Our thoughts remain with the families still awaiting news, and we will continue to stand with them as efforts persist," said Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. Kerr County is located about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE County devastated by Texas flood predicted nine months ago that dangerous flooding would hit THIS YEAR but failed to act
An internal report prepared by officials in the county hit worst by the Fourth of July Texas floods predicted such an event would occur this year, can exclusively reveal. The report also said the number one priority for saving lives in heavy floods was to 'improve the delivery and effectiveness of warning messages'. The flooding has killed at least 104 people, with dozens more listed as missing, as locals have complained about the lack of advanced warning. Most of those deaths were in Kerr County, which was home to Camp Mystic, the all-girls Christian summer camp, where 27 deaths have been confirmed. But the report, published just nine months ago in October 2024, shows officials knew of the dangers but dragged their feet when it came to doing anything about them. Not only did the Kerr County Hazard Mitigation Action Plan explicitly note that a flood event was 'likely' in 2025 and 'probable' by 2027, it also accurately forecast the places most likely to be hit. 'The local planning team determined it is likely that Kerr County and the participating jurisdictions will experience a flood event in the next year, meaning an event is probable in the next three years,' reads the report, which was drawn up by seven officials from varying local bodies. It goes on to note that past floods had maxed out at 10 inches – a stark contrast to last Friday when the Guadalupe River swelled into a monstrous 23ft wall of water in a matter of minutes. The report also stated that 'future worst-case flood events' in the county had the possibility of exceeding 10ft flood depths, which was lower than the disastrous 23ft wall of water that swelled from the Guadalupe River But despite the strongly worded warnings from its own officials, Kerr County put off nearly all the flooding recommendations, listing them as 'deferred' in a table towards the end of the 220-page document. Flood preparations in the county, 100 miles west of the state capital Austin, have come under scrutiny in the days following the catastrophic deluge. The Guadalupe River basin is considered one of the three most flash flood-prone areas in the country, with records showing dangerous floods can occur virtually anywhere on its 230-mile course from Kerr County to the Gulf of Mexico. When it passes through the Texas Hill Country, it becomes particularly dangerous as water is funneled down steep terrain. Friday's surge devastated parts of Ingram and Kerrville – the same areas designated high risk on the county's own map – as well as the tiny town of Hunt, where 27 child campers and counselors were swept from their beds to their deaths at Camp Mystic. County and city officials have repeatedly been slammed for passing the buck, insisting that now is not the time for questions about whether the alert system failed or if authorities had done enough to try to prevent the tragedy. But can reveal that Kerr County's own officials had warned that more needed to be done in an internal risk management assessment published on October 22 last year. Although the risk assessors did not foresee a 23ft wave devastating the area, they did say the upcoming flood could surpass previous levels, writing: 'Future worst-case flood events in Kerr County and the participating jurisdictions may meet or exceed previous worst-case 10' flood depths.' It also warned that climate change was likely to make flooding worse and unpredictable. 'Climate change may cause river floods to become larger or more frequent than they used to be in some places,' it noted, while adding that the risk may become less elsewhere. 'As warmer temperatures cause more water to evaporate from the land and oceans, changes in the size and frequency of heavy precipitation events may in turn affect the size and frequency of river flooding,' it reads. Counties are required by law to prepare disaster mitigation reports if they are to be eligible for federal funds after a disaster. The report's cover insists that nothing in it 'is intended to be an admission…of any county obligation, responsibility, duty, fault or liability by or on behalf of the county …for any particular hazard or hazardous condition…' Yet buried deep inside - starting on page 170 - is a detailed series of plans outlining how to mitigate a disaster just like the one that unfolded on Friday. Leading the list is a call to 'Improve the delivery and effectiveness of warning messages' - a clear sign that Kerr County officials knew their alert system was inadequate. That's supported by records showing that Kerr County officials have been begging the Texas state government for funding for alert upgrades since 2016. The alerts have come under scrutiny since the tragedy unfolded, with some of the locals who have spoken to saying they didn't receive an alert until 8am on Friday morning - hours after the Guadalupe River burst its banks. Some residents reported receiving two alerts - one at 4.03am and another at 5.34am - but said they never heard them as they came in the middle of the night. Others recalled being in areas with no cell signal, leaving them with no warning as the catastrophe unfolded. Another recommendation urged county officials to 'Reduce obstacles to timely and safe evacuation of flood hazard areas' - a point that has since drawn sharp criticism in the wake of the disaster. On Monday, Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice was grilled on the issue live on CNN and became flustered, calling evacuations 'a delicate balance' and adding that if you get the timing wrong, 'you risk sending buses and cars and campers into roads into low water areas'. Rice went on to say no evacuations were ordered because the floods happened so fast and told the channel 'We don't want to cry wolf' and trigger an exodus too early. Also mentioned in the report as an area in dire need of extra protection were trailer parks, which again proved prescient as mobile homes were among the most badly damaged of all the properties hit by the flooding. Among them was the River's Edge community in Ingram, where 27-year-old dad of two Julian Ryan died a hero after punching out the wall of his trailer home so his family could escape. That selfless move cost him his life. With his arm partially severed, he bled out and died before emergency services could get there. Photos of the trailer home taken by show the catastrophic damage it suffered, with flood marks almost reaching the ceiling while the family's furniture was tossed around like toys by the water. Mud could be seen splattered up the inside walls while one side of the property was cracked and bent, with bits of the corrugated iron exterior ripped off. Despite listing upgrades to the alert system as a priority, the same document went on to bring up cost as the second most important deciding factor in whether to implement any of the recommendations, following protecting human life. The report looked at other possible natural disasters such as wildfires, drought, winter storms, lightning and earthquakes – but the danger caused by floods was the first issue addressed in its pages. Most damning of all is a table on page 182 that assesses the county's progress in implementing the recommendations for flood mitigation. One entry reads: 'Local Flood Warning System: This action proposes a local flood warning system to reduce the potential impacts of future flood events.' That is listed as 'deferred' along with another proposed action that suggests the construction of extra storm drains to reduce the impacts of flooding. It also suggested looking at flood hazard area boundaries to see if some buildings were in places that put them in danger. Parts of Camp Mystic were in a low-lying area just 500ft from the riverbank. That suggestion was also 'deferred'. Only two items were listed as being 'in progress', which were educational outreach and the purchase of back-up generators. And while Kerr County deferred upgrading its storm drain system, the City of Kerrville – its county seat and largest town – gets an even worse grade. Next to its storm drain upgrade system recommendation, the status is listed as: 'Abandoned: No New Construction'.
CNN
08-07-2025
- Climate
- CNN
CNN reporters press officials on timeline of their response to Texas floods
Four days after flash floods in central Texas killed more than 100 people, Kerr County officials took questions from reporters about when they knew the floods would pose a deadly threat, and did not to commit to a timeline of their official response.
