Latest news with #KerrCountySheriff
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Heavy rains in Texas pause search efforts for flood victims and damage homes elsewhere
Search and rescue teams comb the banks of the Guadalupe River after a flash flood swept through the area, Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) KERRVILLE, Texas — More heavy rains in Texas on Sunday temporarily paused a weeklong search for victims of catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River and led to dozens of high-water rescues elsewhere as storms damaged homes, stranded motorists and put some residents under evacuation orders. It was the first time a new round of severe weather had paused the search since the July Fourth holiday floods, which killed at least 132 people. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County alone, and 10 more in neighboring areas. In Kerrville, where local officials have come under scrutiny over whether residents were adequately warned about the rising water in the early morning hours of July 4, authorities went door-to-door to some homes after midnight early Sunday to alert people that flooding was again possible. Authorities also pushed phone alerts to those in the area. By late Sunday afternoon, the Kerr County Sheriff's Office announced that search teams in the western part of that county could resume their efforts. But more than 100 miles (161 kilometers) north in San Saba County, the floods damaged about 100 homes and knocked down untold lengths of cattle fencing, said Ashley Johnson, CEO of the Hill Country Community Action Association, a local nonprofit. 'Anything you can imagine in a rural community was damaged,' she said. 'Our blessing is it was daylight and we knew it was coming.' Latest flooding damages dozens of homes Gov. Greg Abbott said on X that the state was making rescues in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties and that evacuations were taking place in a handful of others. Texas Task Force 1, a joint state and federal urban search and rescue team, had rescued dozens of people in the Lampasas area, Abbott said. County officials ordered everyone living in flood-prone areas near the San Saba River to evacuate. Johnson said people were being moved to the San Saba Civic Center, which has become a safe, high place for people to receive aid and shelter. 'Everyone is in some way personally affected by this,' she said. 'Everyone is just doing what they can to help their neighbors.' A wide-ranging weather system brings heavy rains The weather system brought multiple rounds of heavy rains and slow-moving storms across a widespread area, pushing rivers and streams over their banks. Emergency crews rescued one motorist who was left stranded in waist-high rapids on a submerged bridge over the Bosque River and leaned onto the vehicle for support as crews tried to reach him with life jackets. 'He drove into it and didn't realize how deep it was,' said Jeff Douglas, president of the McGregor Volunteer Fire Department. 'Luckily he was able to stand next to the vehicle.' In the west Texas city of Sonora, authorities called for evacuations of some neighborhoods due to rising flood waters. In a video posted Sunday afternoon on Facebook, Mayor Juanita Gomez said some water rescues had taken place and a temporary shelter for residents had been opened in the city's civic center. Kerrville residents get support from police, alerts Under heavy rain, Matthew Stone was clearing branches and a log from a storm sewer in front of his home on Guadalupe Street in Kerrville on Sunday as several inches of water pooled up on the road. Multiple houses on the street overlooking the Guadalupe River were severely impacted by the July 4 floods, and Stone had to pull his older neighbors from their home before water overtook it. He said he felt safe for now. 'My wife was freaking out, that's for sure, but as long as that river is not coming down, we'll be all right,' he said. 'The cops have been coming back and forth, we're getting lots of alerts, we're getting a lot of support.' In nearby Ingram, fire department spokesman Brian Lochte said search and rescue efforts would resume Monday morning. Just before daybreak on the Fourth of July, the destructive, fast-moving waters rose 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River, washing away homes and vehicles. Ever since, searchers have used helicopters, boats and drones to look for victims and to rescue people stranded in trees and from camps isolated by washed-out roads. The floods laid waste to the Hill Country region of Texas. The riverbanks and hills of Kerr County are filled with vacation cabins, youth camps and campgrounds, including Camp Mystic, the century-old, all-girls Christian summer camp. Located in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe River in a region known as flash flood alley, Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors. The flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, experts said, and moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system. Gabriela Aoun, The Associated Press Associated Press reporters Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York, contributed to this report.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Search for Texas Flooding Victims Suspended Amid New Heavy Rains
(Bloomberg) -- Emergency crews in central Texas suspended their search for victims of recent catastrophic flooding as another night of heavy rain touched off new flash flood warnings. Singer Akon's Failed Futuristic City in Senegal Ends Up a $1 Billion Resort Why Did Cars Get So Hard to See Out Of? How German Cities Are Rethinking Women's Safety — With Taxis Philadelphia Reaches Pact With Workers to End Garbage Strike The Kerr County Sheriff's Office ordered volunteers, equipment and vehicles to vacate the area around Guadalupe River as water is expected to rise, it said on its Facebook page. Highway 39 in the area has been closed to all vehicles except residents and emergency personnel. 'This is a dangerous and life-threatening situation,' the sheriff's office said in a post. 'Do not attempt to travel unless you are fleeing an area subject to flooding or under an evacuation order.' The latest round of storms comes just over a week after the area was devastated by a July 4 deluge that killed at least 120 people and left many more missing. A wide swathe of the region got between 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10cm) of rain overnight, with some spots getting more than 8 inches as thunderstorms continue to pound the area, said Scott Kleebauer, a forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. More storms are forecast later in the day. 'It is one of those set ups; there will definitely be heavy rainfall again tonight,' said Kleebauer. 'Those areas down there are so sensitive, so that any type of heavy rainfall could cause a problem.' The area north and west of Austin, the state capital, was hit by devastating floods on July 4, when heavy downpours caused river levels to rise with startling speed. Kerrville, a small town about 55 miles (85 km) northwest of San Antonio and the seat of Kerr County, was particularly hard hit. Among other things, the swollen Guadalupe River struck a girls' summer camp, killing at least 27 children and counselors. Local, state and federal officials have been under scrutiny since the event over their initial response, particularly how a county prone to floods lacked warning sirens when forecasts warned of the danger of flash floods. President Donald Trump visited Kerrville on Friday. The Guadalupe River in Kerrville is forecast to rise by nearly 6.8 feet by Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service said. Meanwhile, the San Saba River in the city of the same name, northwest of Austin, has already risen more than 2 feet and is forecast to rise another 20 feet by Tuesday. Flood watches extend from southern Texas on the Mexican border to eastern Oklahoma and Arkansas. The area northwest of Austin is covered by flash flood warnings through Sunday morning as radar picked up thunderstorms drifting through the area dropping rain at rates of 2 to 4 inches on top of what was received overnight. (Updates with searches suspended, from first paragraph.) 'Our Goal Is to Get Their Money': Inside a Firm Charged With Scamming Writers for Millions Trump's Cuts Are Making Federal Data Disappear Soccer Players Are Being Seriously Overworked Will Trade War Make South India the Next Manufacturing Hub? Trade War? No Problem—If You Run a Trade School ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Texas floods latest: Death toll rises to 121 as Camp Mystic cabins ‘found to be in extremely hazardous' flood zone
At least 121 people have been killed and 173 others are missing as Texas officials deflect questions over the state's response to the catastrophic flash floods. Kerr County remains at the center of the disaster after the Guadalupe River burst its banks on Friday. Ninety-six people in the county are dead, including 36 children, officials said Thursday. At least 161 others were still missing in the county. Questions are mounting over whether local, state and federal officials could've done more to warn residents about the floods. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said his office is 'in the process' of assembling a timeline of the actions that local officials took ahead of the disaster. Among the dead are 27 girls and staff members from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp situated on the bank of the Guadalupe River. Five campers and one 19-year-old counselor remained missing. Several of the cabins were built on 'extremely hazardous' floodways where water moves at its highest velocity and depth, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Just two days before the flood, the camp passed its annual state safety inspection and had a written disaster plan in place. Texas flood before-and-after pictures show devastating toll of catastrophe which left 120 dead and 173 missing Photos: Texas flood before-and-after visuals show devastating toll of catastrophe Crews are digging through mountains of debris along the Guadalupe River as they continue their desperate search Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 04:55 Texas flags will be lowered to half-staff until July 14 Governor Greg Abbott announced Wednesday Texas flags will be lowered to half-staff 'in heartfelt remembrance of those whose lives were tragically lost in the recent floods.' While search and rescue efforts are still underway, 121 people have died so far and 173 are missing after flash flooding on July 4 devastated Central Texas. The flags will be at half-staff until Monday, July 14. Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 04:35 Governor Abbott thanks Tennessee for helping in Central Texas search and rescue efforts Governor Greg Abbott thanked Tennessee for helping with search and rescue efforts by sending K-9 teams to Central Texas following catastrophic floods on July 4. Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 04:15 In pictures: Search and rescue efforts continue for sixth day It's been six days since flash floods along the Guadalupe River devastated Central Texas. At least 121 people were killed in the floods, and 173 are still missing. Search and rescue efforts continued Thursday, but hopes of finding survivors have faded. No survivors have been found since Friday. Here are some pictures from Thursday's search and rescue efforts: Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 03:55 Trump calls for alarms after flash floods devastate Central Texas President Donald Trump called for alarms after flash floods along the Guadalupe River last Friday devastated Central Texas. Trump told NBC News' Kristen Welker Thursday he thinks 'everyone's doing a great job' responding to the catastrophe. While Texas officials are working tirelessly to find the 173 people still missing, questions have been raised about whether local, state and federal officials could've done more to warn residents about the floods. 'After having seen this horrible event, I would imagine you'd put alarms up in some form, where alarms would go up if they see any large amounts of water or whatever it is,' Trump told Welker, adding, 'But the local officials were hit by this just like everybody else.' Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 03:38 Hard-hit Kerrville cancels police 5K run Kerrville, which was hit hard by the flash floods in Central Texas last Friday, has canceled an upcoming 5K run hosted by its police department 'for obvious reasons.' 'We must regretfully cancel this Saturday's 5KPD run for obvious reasons. Future runs are not confirmed at this time, but we look forward to the day when we can return to the River Trail as a community. We thank you for understanding,' Kerrville police wrote in a Facebook post Thursday. Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 03:35 Kerrville officials thank those who helped restore power after devastating Texas floods Officials in hard-hit Kerrville thanked those who helped restore power to the city after flash floods on July 4 devastated Central Texas. 'As the last of our mutual aid crews have now headed home, we at KPUB would like to extend our deepest gratitude to those who helped us restore power in the aftermath of this devastating event,' the Kerrville Public Utility Board wrote on Facebook Thursday. Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 03:15 Where in the world is the FEMA head? Agency leader hasn't been seen in over a week sparking concern FEMA Acting Administrator David Richardson has been absent during the federal response to the floods in Texas, prompting concerns about his leadership. Richardson hasn't visited the site of the floods, the deadliest in the U.S. in a quarter century, ending a longstanding tradition of FEMA leaders being publicly available following natural disasters. 'DHS and its components have taken an all-hands-on-deck approach' to the Texas flooding, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Politico, pointing to aid given by the U.S. Coast Guard and Border Protection. 'FEMA has deployed extensive staff to support Texas response and recovery operations based on staff skills and requirements.' Former FEMA officials told the outlet that Richardson being away from the scene has prompted concerns that the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, is in charge of FEMA's response to the tragedy. FEMA leader hasn't been seen in over a week sparking concern David Richardson has made no public appearances or statements following his appointment on May 8 Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 02:55 Families sift through debris and begin cleanup after devastating Texas floods Rachel Dobkin11 July 2025 02:15 Rescue consultant describes the process of looking through flood debris Search and rescue efforts continued Thursday after catastrophic flash floods hit Central Texas on July 4. Gerald Dworkin, a water rescue consultant and former safety director for the American Red Cross in Houston, described the process of looking through debris in hopes of finding the bodies of those missing. 'It's really much the same picking, slowly picking your way through the debris, looking for whatever…can be salvaged and whatever bodies could be recovered,' Dworkin told The Texas Tribune.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials have yet to explain who did what during critical early hours as deadly floods hit Texas
Nearly a week after floodwaters swept away more than a hundred lives, Texas officials are facing heated questions over how much was – or was not – done in the early morning hours of Friday as a wall of water raced down the Guadalupe River. Several officials in the past few days have deflected or become defensive when asked clarifying questions about the county's actions before and during the disaster. 'We're in the process of trying to put together a timeline. That's going to take a little bit of time,' Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said Tuesday, adding his priority was recovering victims, identifying bodies and notifying families. Authorities were pressed again Wednesday when they shared little information about the early hours of the emergency, instead calling attention to their swift response later in the day on July 4. 'I know that this tragedy, as horrific as it is, could have been so much worse,' Kerrville Police Department Sgt. Jonathan Lamb said. At least 120 people are dead and about 150 others are missing after the catastrophic flooding swept through central Texas in the wee hours of Independence Day. As search and rescue efforts continue for a seventh straight day, frustration grows over lingering questions about what officials did during those crucial early hours, if existing warning systems worked and whether any loss could have been prevented. Here's what we know – and still don't know – about officials' response during the pivotal hours of a catastrophic flooding event. The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for parts of Kerr County at 1:14 a.m. July 4. That warning was sent as a Wireless Emergency Alert to mobile devices in the warned area. Local emergency management agencies in some other counties began monitoring forecasts and listening to briefings to determine safety and evacuation plans once they received similar alerts. It's unclear if officials in Kerr County, which has suffered the largest number of fatalities by far, did the same. Sheriff Leitha said he wasn't alerted of the flooding in his county until 4 or 5 a.m. Friday — after 911 calls for help started coming in. The Guadalupe River started rising just after the NWS flash flood warning, and had climbed by 15 feet by 5 a.m., according to a water gauge in Hunt, home to Camp Mystic. As the 'wall of water' made its way down the river, according to a dire warning from the NWS, a local firefighter requested a CodeRED alert — a notification by a non-governmental mass communication system that sends emergency alerts to residents' phones — to warn the public at 4:22 a.m., CNN affiliate KSAT reported. But it was nearly six hours until some residents got the alert, according to audio from a dispatcher obtained by a KSAT source familiar with the emergency notification for residents near Hunt. When asked Wednesday about the hours that passed between the firefighter's call and when the alert was issued, Leitha deflected, saying those questions would be answered in time. Even before the flood struck, it appears some local officials might have been out of the loop. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick previously said that county mayors and city judges were invited to a call the day before the flooding to discuss the weather forecast. A regional coordinator personally reached out to local officials, the Associated Press reported. 'I will tell you personally, I did not receive a call,' Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said Wednesday, noting he could not speak for the Kerr County judge. No official in Kerr County has been able to answer who, if anyone, was in charge of emergency management the night of the flood. An emergency manager is generally someone who oversees local mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery efforts before, during and after an emergency. 'They're effectively leading the response in these communities, even as other resources come in from neighboring communities, the state and FEMA,' said Samantha Montano, associate professor at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. Kerr County's emergency manager would have been the one to guide a flash flooding procedure and evacuation plan – ideally established ahead of time – that's designed to maximize lives saved. Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator W.B. 'Dub' Thomas declined to comment when asked to explain the actions the county took in the early morning hours of Friday, CNN previously reported. 'I don't have time for an interview, so I'm going to cancel this call,' he said. Major counties in the state – like Harris, which encompasses Houston, and Dallas County – have sophisticated evacuation procedures and criteria in the face of flooding, mainly due to Texas' reputation as one of the most flood-prone states in the country, said Phil Bedient, the director of Rice University's Severe Storm Prediction, Education, & Evacuation from Disasters Center. Understanding Kerr County's threshold for evacuating, if one has been enacted, or contacting the highest-risk residents and recommending they get to higher ground, would help to paint a more complete picture of county officials' thinking in the early hours of Friday once they realized the flooding was becoming calamitous. 'Sometimes it's better to shelter in place – the Hill Country is not a one-size-fits-all place,' Leitha, the sheriff, said Wednesday. 'First responders from emergency services throughout Kerr County promptly responded to the recent emergency as the situation unfolded.' There are also questions about whether critical vacancies at the NWS could have affected emergency response if warnings didn't make it to the right people. CNN previously reported the NWS' Austin-San Antonio office is missing a warning coordination meteorologist — a role that serves as a crucial, direct link between forecasters and emergency managers in the area — though it's unclear if it impacted outreach to counties. NWS forecasters were actively disseminating real-time weather information to emergency managers that night. The vacancy in the Austin-San Antonio office, along with other key roles, was the result of early retirement incentives offered by the Trump administration to shrink the size of the federal government, a NOAA official told CNN. The July 4 flood was a 1-in-100-year event — something forecasters expect would only happen once every 100 years, on average. Put another way, it has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. There are clear maps around dangerous rivers like the Guadalupe outlining where a flood like this will track, which areas will be underwater, and where the flood will reach first. But at least 18 summer camps, including Camp Mystic, situated along the river, were built in these locations despite their known risks of flooding. At Camp Mystic, the flood ripped the wall off at least one building and left a cabin covered in dirt and mud, photos show. The debris-laden water line can be seen near the top of the cabin's doorway. About a dozen of the summer camps sustained damage from the floodwaters, and officials have not yet explained why they were allowed to be built, maintained or added to in these areas. Camp Mystic has been in place for nearly 100 years. Just two days before the deadly floods, an inspector with the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed the all-girls Christian camp had a state-mandated plan 'for emergency shelter and for evacuation' in case of a disaster. The state health department does not maintain copies of youth camp emergency plans, which include circumstances of flooding, but they are reviewed during each annual inspection, a state DHS spokesperson told CNN. But in the wake of the devastation at the camp that left at least 27 people dead, it's not clear if that emergency plan was sufficient or how closely it was followed on July 4. It's also unclear if any policy change came after ten campers in 1987 were caught in the same Guadalupe River floodwaters and died. At the heart of emergency management is evolving policies after a disaster to mitigate devastation in the future. What, if any, changes are to come for Kerr County's emergency response in the wake of this tragedy? Officials at Tuesday's briefing clashed with reporters expecting answers. 'We understand you have many questions,' Texas Game Warden Ben Baker said, but officials are focused on bringing people home. 'But your community is asking these questions,' one reporter said. 'We will get answers,' Baker replied. He didn't take any more questions. CNN's Mary Gilbert, Angela Fritz, Renée Rigdon, Casey Tolan, Curt Devine, Lauren Mascarenhas, Chris Boyette and Rebekah Reiss contributed to this report.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Texas floods raise questions about delays in emergency alert notifications
Leaked audio suggests a significant delay in issuing emergency flood alerts in Texas on July 4, despite an early request from a local firefighter. A firefighter reportedly requested a CodeRED alert at 4:22 am as the Guadalupe River rapidly overshot its banks, rising 26 feet in 45 minutes. Local officials, including the Kerr County Sheriff and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, have defended the alert timeline, citing the complexity of issuing warnings and inadequate federal forecasts. The National Weather Service had issued a 'life-threatening flash flooding' warning for Kerrville at 1:14 am, over three hours before initial flood reports, with experts praising their forecasting. Questions have also been raised regarding the county's failure to install emergency weather sirens and the potential impact of staffing cuts to the National Weather Service.
