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Canada News.Net
4 days ago
- Climate
- Canada News.Net
What Canada could learn from the tragic consequences of the Texas flash flood
On July 4, a horrific flash flood occurred in central Texas, mainly impacting Kerr County. The heavy rain started at about 3 a.m., resulting in rainwater surging down mountain slopes, causing the waters in the Guadalupe River to rise by eight metres very quickly. At least 132 people have been confirmed dead as of July 14; most of them were in Kerr County. The area is under renewed flood warnings as heavy rains threaten to continue. In recognition of the scope of this tragedy, it's important to determine why it happened. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott stated that a special session of the state legislature will be held in late July to investigate the emergency response. Local Texas officials are facing questions over their actions in the hours - and years - before the flood. In recent years, multiple efforts in Kerr County to build a more substantial flood warning system have faltered or been abandoned due to budget concerns. In 2015, a deadly Memorial Day flood in Kerr County rekindled debate over whether to install a flood monitoring system and sirens that would alert the public to evacuate when the river rose to dangerous levels. Some officials, cognizant of a 1987 flood that killed eight people on a church camp bus, thought it should be done, but the idea ran into opposition. Some residents and elected officials opposed the installation of sirens, citing the cost and noise that they feared would result from repeated alarms. As a result, Kerr Country did not have emergency sirens that could have warned residents about the rising waters. The critical challenge for communicating flash floods is ensuring that early warnings reach vulnerable populations. Unlike slow-onset river floods, flash floods leave very limited time for reaction. This makes accurate short-term forecasting and community preparedness essential. The U.S. National Weather Service issued its first public warning about the flooding in Kerr County at 1:14 a.m. on July 4, warning of life-threatening flash flooding, with subsequent warnings triggering alerts. Floodwaters surged dramatically as the Guadalupe River rose nearly eight metres in about 45 minutes. The 4:03 a.m. warning instructed residents to "Move to higher ground now! This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation." The warnings were disseminated at night through emergency management systems and television and radio stations, but many people, including hundreds of children at summer camps, did not receive them. Government agencies at all levels need to work together to ensure that residents of impacted areas move effectively to outside of the flood area or at least to higher elevation areas or safe buildings. The World Economic Forum's Global Risk Assessment for 10-year periods ranked extreme weather events as the highest global risk in both the 2024 and 2025 assessments. Floods are a very important extreme weather event. The U.S. National Centers for Environmental Information published its review of events for the period 1980-2024. Tropical cyclones were the costliest weather and climate disasters, followed by: droughts, wildfires and flooding, which had an average cost of US$4.5 billion per event. The number of billion-dollar inland flood events has increased in the U.S. Note that the dollar costs of these events in these assessments do not include the many societal impacts, including mental trauma and other health impacts. There have been major reductions in the staffing and budgetary support of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Services, which is part of NOAA. The impacts of these reductions on the weather and flood forecasts that would have alerted Texans on July 4 are not yet clear. At the time of writing, the website for the National Weather Services office for Austin/San Antonio, which covers the region that includes hard-hit Kerr County, shows six of 27 positions are listed as vacant. One important vacancy is that of the key manager responsible for issuing warnings and co-ordinating with local emergency management officials. The U.S. government has also reduced the funding for research on weather systems, including floods. There have also been reductions in the funding support for scientific analyses of how climate change will affect the severity of storms. Deep funding cuts to NOAA may result in the termination of both the National Severe Storms Lab and the Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations at the University of Oklahoma, which will have a highly negative impact on the understanding of storms. The Canadian Severe Storms Laboratory was established in 2024 at Western University to conduct leading research on severe weather in Canada. Flooding is the most common and costly disaster in Canada. In the past decade, floods have averaged nearly $800 million in insured losses annually. Over time, the potential for extreme rainfall events is increasing. Heavy rainfall events and their ensuing flood risks are increasing because of warmer temperatures. Canadian data shows that climate change is driving increasingly severe and frequent floods. Flooding will only get worse in the future, and government action is needed to manage this growing risk. One of the ways in which Canada isn't prepared is that most flood-risk maps are out of date, with some being decades old. While Environment and Climate Change Canada issues weather watches and warnings for things like tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and rainfall, it doesn't provide flood forecasts. Most provinces argue that water resources are natural resources and are therefore under provincial jurisdiction. This means that weather forecasts across the country are provided by the Meteorological Service of Canada, while flood forecasts are produced by each of the provinces. It is important to take actions to address adaptation and climate resilience that consider future floods and their impacts. Federal, provincial and territorial governments will need to work together to avoid tragedies.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
More than 160 people still missing days after deadly floods
More than 160 people remain unaccounted for after devastating floods in Texas, U.S.A., the State governor said Tuesday (July 8, 2025), marking a dramatic increase in the number of missing from a tragedy that has so far claimed 109 lives. Four days after flash floods roared through several Texas counties, some in the middle of the night, hopes of finding survivors were fading — and Governor Greg Abbott warned that the list of those unaccounted for could yet rise. 'Just in the Kerr County area alone, there are 161 people who are known to be missing,' he told reporters Tuesday as the grim search continued. 'There very likely could be more added to that list,' he said, adding that the figure was based on people reported as unaccounted for by friends, relatives and neighbors. Kerr County worst affected Kerr County, part of a central Texas region known as 'Flash Flood Alley,' suffered the most damage, with at least 94 fatalities. That includes at least 27 girls and counselors who were staying at a youth summer camp on the Guadalupe River when it burst its banks as the Fourth of July holiday began in the early hours of Friday. Torrents of water swept through the camp, scouring cabins as hundreds of people slept. Five campers and one counselor were still missing as of Tuesday evening, according to Abbot, as well as another child not associated with the camp. 'There's nothing more important in our hearts and minds than the people of this community, especially those who are still lost,' Mr. Abbot said. Elsewhere in the State, there have been at least 15 fatalities recorded so far, the governor added. Mud, water make rescue difficult Ben Baker with the Texas Game Wardens said search and rescue efforts involving helicopters, drones and dogs were extremely difficult because of the water and mud. 'When we're trying to make these recoveries, these large piles can be very obstructive, and to get in deep into these piles, it's very hazardous,' Mr. Baker said. 'It's extremely treacherous, time-consuming. It's dirty work, the water is still there.' The U.S. National Weather Service on Tuesday declared a flash flood emergency in Ruidoso, a small town 184 miles (296 kilometers) south of Albuquerque, in the neighboring state of New Mexico. Officials reported several people were trapped by sudden floodwaters, with multiple homes sustaining damage. The NWS said the Rio Ruidoso may have crested more than 20 feet (six meters). Rain 'won't deter' search In the town of Hunt, the epicenter of the disaster, an AFP team saw recovery workers combing through piles of debris with helicopters flying overhead. Javier Torres, 24, was digging through mud as he searched for the body of his grandmother, after having located the remains of his grandfather. He also discovered the bodies of two children, apparently washed up by the river. Officials warned of more heavy rain ahead that could affect the search — though Mr. Baker said it 'won't deter' the efforts. Trump to visit President Donald Trump is due to visit Texas with First Lady Melania Trump on Friday (July 11, 2025). 'We brought in a lot of helicopters from all over... They were real pros, and they were responsible for pulling out a lot of people,' Mr. Trump said. Meanwhile, questions intensified over whether Mr. Trump's government funding cuts had weakened warning systems, and over the handling of the rescue operation. During an at-times tense news conference, Mr. Baker skirted a question on the speed of the emergency response. 'Right now, this team up here is focused on bringing people home,' he said. Shel Winkley, a weather expert at the Climate Central research group, blamed the extent of the disaster on geography and exceptional drought, when dry soil absorbs less rainfall. 'This part of Texas, at least in the Kerr County flood specifically, was in an extreme to exceptional drought... We know that since May, temperatures have been above average,' Winkley told reporters. The organisation's media director, Tom Di Liberto, said staffing shortages at the National Weather Service had contributed to the disaster. 'You can't necessarily replace that experience,' he said.
The Sun
05-07-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
Death toll from Texas floods reaches 43; many still missing
ATLANTA: Some 43 people, including 15 children, have been confirmed dead following flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Saturday as rescuers continued a frantic search for campers, vacationers and residents who were still missing. Officials said more than 850 people had been rescued, including some who were clinging to trees, after a sudden storm dumped up to 15 inches of rain in an area around the Guadalupe River, about 85 miles (137 km) northwest of San Antonio. Among the missing were 27 girls from the Camp Mystic summer camp, Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said at a press conference on Saturday evening, and there may be others beyond that. 'We are kind of looking at this in two ways called the known missing, which is the 27 ... We will not put a number on the other side because we just don't know,' Rice said. The disaster unfolded rapidly on Friday morning as heavier-than-forecast rain drove river waters rapidly to as high as 29 feet. 'We know that the rivers rise, but nobody saw this coming,' said Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, the top local official in the region. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said eight of the confirmed dead, including three children, had yet to be identified. The U.S. National Weather Service said the flash flood emergency has largely ended for Kerr County, following thunderstorms that dumped more than a foot of rain. That is half of the total the region sees in a typical year. A flood watch remained in effect until 7 p.m. for the broader region. Kerr County sits in the Texas Hill Country, a rural area known for rugged terrain, historic towns and tourist attractions. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said an unknown number of visitors had come to the area for an Independence Day celebration by the river. 'We don't know how many people were in tents on the side, in small trailers by the side, in rented homes by the side,' he said on Fox News Live. Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood, according to Patrick. Another girls' camp, Heart O' the Hills, said on its website that co-owner Jane Ragsdale had died in the flood but no campers had been present as it was between sessions. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said at a news briefing that he had asked President Donald Trump to sign a disaster declaration, which would unlock federal aid for those affected. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Trump would honor that request. Earlier on Saturday, Trump said he and his wife Melania were praying for the victims. 'Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best,' he said on social media. Trump has previously outlined plans to scale back the federal government's role in responding to natural disasters, leaving states to shoulder more of the burden themselves. Videos posted online showed bare concrete platforms where homes used to stand and piles of rubble along the banks of the river. Rescuers plucked residents from rooftops and trees, sometimes forming human chains to fetch people from the floodwater, local media reported. Local officials said the extreme flooding struck before dawn on Friday with little or no warning, precluding authorities from issuing advance evacuation orders as the Guadalupe River swiftly rose above major flood stage in less than two hours. Noem said a 'moderate' flood watch issued the previous day by the National Weather Service did not accurately predict the extreme rainfall and said the Trump administration was working to upgrade the system. The administration has cut thousands of jobs from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, leaving many weather offices understaffed, said former NOAA director Rick Spinrad. He said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advance warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but said they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. 'People's ability to prepare for these storms will be compromised. It undoubtedly means that additional lives will be lost and probably more property damage,' he said.
Japan Today
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Japan Today
Death toll at 27 as flood waters recede in central Texas
By Rich McKay and Ryan Patrick Jones Some 27 people, including nine children, have been confirmed dead after flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Saturday, as rescuers continued a frantic search for survivors including dozens still missing from a girls' summer camp. The sheriff's office in Kerr County, Texas said more than 800 people had been evacuated from the region as flood waters receded in the area around the Guadalupe River, about 85 miles (137 km) northwest of San Antonio. "We will not stop until every single person is found," Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a news conference. At least 23 to 25 people from the Camp Mystic summer camp were missing, most of them reported to be young girls. The river waters rose 29 feet rapidly near the camp. The U.S. National Weather Service said that the flash flood emergency has largely ended for Kerr County, the epicenter of the flooding, following thunderstorms that dumped as much as 15 inches of rain -- half of the total the region sees in a typical year. A flood watch remained in effect until 7 p.m. for the broader region. Kerr County sits in the Texas Hill Country, a rural area known for its rugged terrain, historic towns and other tourist attractions. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said up to 500 rescue workers were searching for an unknown number of missing people, including some who had come to the area for an Independence Day celebration by the river. 'We don't know how many people were in tents on the side, in small trailers by the side, in rented homes by the side, because it was going to be the Fourth of July holiday," he said on Fox News Live. Camp Mystic had 700 girls in residence at the time of the flood, according to Patrick. Another girls' camp, Heart O' the Hills, said on its website that co-owner Jane Ragsdale had died in the flood but no campers had been present as it was between sessions. U.S. President Donald Trump said the federal government is working with state and local officials to respond to the flooding. "Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best," he said on social media. Videos posted online showed bare concrete platforms where homes used to stand and piles of rubble along the banks of the river. Rescuers plucked residents from rooftops and trees, sometimes forming human chains to fetch people from the floodwater, local media reported. Dalton Rice, city manager for Kerrville, the county seat, told reporters on Friday that the extreme flooding struck before dawn with little or no warning, precluding authorities from issuing advance evacuation orders as the Guadalupe River swiftly rose above major flood stage in less than two hours. State emergency management officials had warned as early as Thursday that west and central Texas faced heavy rains and flash flood threats, citing National Weather Service forecasts ahead of the holiday weekend. The forecasts, however, "did not predict the amount of rain that we saw," W. Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told a news conference on Friday night. The weekend disaster echoes a catastrophic 1987 Guadalupe River flood in which 10 teenagers drowned when trying to leave a church camp, according to the National Weather Service. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Business Recorder
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Business Recorder
27 people confirmed dead as flood waters recede in central Texas
Some 27 people, including nine children, have been confirmed dead after flash floods in central Texas, authorities said on Saturday, as rescuers continued a frantic search for survivors including dozens still missing from a girls' summer camp. The sheriff's office in Kerr County, Texas said more than 800 people had been evacuated from the region as flood waters receded in the area around the Guadalupe River, about 85 miles (137 km) northwest of San Antonio. 'We will not stop until every single person is found,' Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at a news conference. At least 23 to 25 people from the Camp Mystic summer camp were missing, most of them reported to be young girls. The river waters rose 29 feet rapidly near the camp. The U.S. National Weather Service said that the flash flood emergency has largely ended for Kerr County, the epicenter of the flooding, following thunderstorms that dumped as much as a foot of rain early on Friday. A flood watch, however, remained in effect until 7 p.m. for the broader region. NDMA issues heavy rain forecast, flood alerts for several regions Kerr County sits in the Texas Hill Country, a rural area known for its rugged terrain, historic towns and other tourist attractions. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said up to 500 rescue workers were searching for an unknown number of people who were still missing, including many who had come to the area for an Independence Day celebration by the river. 'We don't know how many people were in tents on the side, in small trailers by the side, in rented homes by the side, because it was going to be the Fourth of July holiday,' he said on Fox News Live. U.S. President Donald Trump said the federal government is working with state and local officials to respond to the flooding. 'Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best,' he said on social media. Dalton Rice, city manager for Kerrville, the county seat, told reporters on Friday that the extreme flooding struck before dawn with little or no warning, precluding authorities from issuing advance evacuation orders as the Guadalupe River swiftly rose above major flood stage in less than two hours. State emergency management officials had warned as early as Thursday that west and central Texas faced heavy rains and flash flood threats, citing National Weather Service forecasts ahead of the holiday weekend. The forecasts, however, 'did not predict the amount of rain that we saw,' W. Nim Kidd, director of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, told a news conference on Friday night. The weekend disaster echoes a catastrophic 1987 Guadalupe River flood in which 10 teenagers drowned when trying to leave a church camp, according to the National Weather Service.
