Latest news with #searcheffort
ABC News
07-07-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Texas floods death toll rises to 82 as search continues for those still missing
Flash floods in Texas have killed at least 82 people and at least 40 people are still missing. The devastation along the Guadalupe River, outside of San Antonio, has drawn a massive search effort as officials face questions over their preparedness and the speed of their initial actions. The Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state is naturally prone to flash flooding due to the dry dirt-packed areas where the soil lets rain skid along the surface of the landscape instead of soaking it up. The flash floods on Friday, local time, started with a particularly bad storm that dropped most of its 30 centimetres of rain in the dark early morning hours. After a flood watch notice midday on Thursday, the National Weather Service office issued an urgent warning around 4am that raised the potential of catastrophic damage and a severe threat to human life. By at least 5:20 am, some in the Kerrville City area say water levels were getting alarmingly high. The massive rain flowing down hills sent rushing water into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise eight metres in just 45 minutes. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said on Sunday that there were 41 people confirmed to be unaccounted-for across the state and more could be missing. In Kerr County, home to youth camps in the Texas Hill Country, searchers have found the bodies of 68 people, including 28 children, Sheriff Larry Leitha said on Sunday afternoon. Fatalities in nearby counties brought the total number of deaths to 79 as of Sunday evening. Ten girls and a counsellor were still unaccounted-for at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. Camp Mystic said it was "grieving the loss" the loss of 27 campers and counsellors as the search continued on Monday for victims of the catastrophic Texas flooding over the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The statement added another layer of heartbreak to the devastating flooding sent a wall of water through the century-old summer camp. "We have been in communication with local and state authorities who are tirelessly deploying extensive resources to search for our missing girls," the camp said in a statement posted on its website. "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from community, first responders, and officials at every level." For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief. Beyond the Camp Mystic participants unaccounted-for, the number of missing from other nearby campgrounds and across the region had not been released. "We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time," Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said Saturday, citing the likely influx of visitors during the holiday weekend. Survivors have described the floods as a "pitch black wall of death" and said they received no emergency warnings. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who lives along the Guadalupe River, said on Saturday that "nobody saw this coming." Various officials have referred to it as a "100-year-flood," meaning that the water levels were highly unlikely based on the historical record. Records behind those statistics don't always account for human-caused climate change. Though it's hard to connect specific storms to a warming planet so soon after they occur, meteorologists say that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and allow severe storms to dump even more rain. Additionally, officials have come under scrutiny about why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner than 4am or told to evacuate. Officials noted that the public can grow weary from too many flooding alerts or forecasts that turn out to be minor. Kerr County officials said they had presented a proposal for a more robust flood warning system, similar to a tornado warning system, but that members of the public reeled at the cost. On Sunday, officials walked out of a news briefing after reporters asked them again about delays in alerts and evacuations. The flash floods have erased campgrounds and torn homes from their foundations. "It's going to be a long time before we're ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild it," Judge Kelly said on Saturday after surveying the destruction from a helicopter. Other massive flooding events have driven residents and business owners to give up, including in areas struck last year by Hurricane Helene. The National Weather Service on Thursday advised of potential flooding and then sent out a series of flash flood warnings in the early hours of Friday before issuing flash flood emergencies. Lieutenant Governor of Texas Dan Patrick said the potential for heavy rain and flooding covered a large area, and "everything was done to give them a heads-up that you could have heavy rain". However, when asked about how people were notified in Kerr County so that they could get to safety, Judge Kelly said: "We do not have a warning system." In a press conference on Sunday, local time, a journalist asked officials if six vacancies at the National Weather Service contributed to the surprise warning. Officials said it was a "good question" and they would "look into it". The Trump administration has overseen thousands of job cuts from the National Weather Service's parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), leaving many weather offices understaffed, former NOAA director Rick Spinrad said. Mr Spinrad said he did not know if those staff cuts factored into the lack of advanced warning for the extreme Texas flooding, but that they would inevitably degrade the agency's ability to deliver accurate and timely forecasts. US President Donald Trump pushed back when asked on Sunday if federal government cuts hobbled the disaster response or left key job vacancies at the National Weather Service under Mr Trump's oversight. "That water situation, that all is, and that was really the Biden set-up," he said referencing his Democratic predecessor. "But I wouldn't blame Biden for it, either. I would just say this is 100-year catastrophe." He declined to answer a question about FEMA, saying only: "They're busy working, so we'll leave it at that." Mr Trump said he would likely visit the flood zone on Friday. AP
Washington Post
06-07-2025
- Climate
- Washington Post
What to know about the flash floods in Texas that killed nearly 70 people
KERRVILLE, Texas — Flash floods in Texas killed dozens and left an unknown number of July Fourth visitors and campers missing, including many girls attending Camp Mystic. The devastation along the Guadalupe River, outside of San Antonio, has drawn a massive search effort as officials face questions over their preparedness and the speed of their initial actions.
The Independent
06-07-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
What to know about the flash floods in Texas that killed nearly 70 people
Flash floods in Texas killed dozens and left an unknown number of July Fourth visitors and campers missing, including many girls attending Camp Mystic. The devastation along the Guadalupe River, outside of San Antonio, has drawn a massive search effort as officials face questions over their preparedness and the speed of their initial actions. Here's what to know about the deadly flooding, the colossal weather system that drove it in and around Kerr County, Texas, and ongoing efforts to identify victims. Massive rain hit at just the wrong time, in a flood-prone place The floods grew to their worst at the midpoint of a long holiday weekend when many people were asleep. The Texas Hill Country in the central part of the state is naturally prone to flash flooding due to the dry dirt-packed areas where the soil lets rain skid along the surface of the landscape instead of soaking it up. Friday's flash floods started with a particularly bad storm that dropped most of its 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain in the dark early morning hours. After a flood watch notice midday Thursday, the National Weather Service office issued an urgent warning around 4 a.m. that raised the potential of catastrophic damage and a severe threat to human life. By at least 5:20 a.m., some in the Kerrville City area say water levels were getting alarmingly high. The massive rain flowing down hills sent rushing water into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise 26 feet (8 meters) in just 45 minutes. Death toll is expected to rise and the number of missing is uncertain At least 59 people in Kerr County, and eight elsewhere in central Texas were confirmed dead as of Sunday morning. In Kerr County, 38 of the victims dead were adults and 21 were children, including 16 girls recovered from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp along the river. Eleven more girls were still unaccounted for. For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief. Beyond the Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, the number of missing from other nearby campgrounds and across the region had not been released. 'We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time,' Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said Saturday, citing the likely influx of visitors during the July Fourth holiday. Officials face scrutiny over flash flood warnings Survivors have described the floods as a 'pitch black wall of death' and said they received no emergency warnings. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, who lives along the Guadalupe River, said Saturday that ' nobody saw this coming.' Various officials have referred to it as a '100-year-flood,' meaning that the water levels were highly unlikely based on the historical record. And records behind those statistics don't always account for human-caused climate change. Though it's hard to connect specific storms to a warming planet so soon after they occur, meteorologists say that a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture and allow severe storms to dump even more rain. Additionally, officials have come under scrutiny about why residents and youth summer camps along the river were not alerted sooner than 4 a.m. or told to evacuate. Officials noted that the public can grow weary from too many flooding alerts or forecasts that turn out to be minor. Kerr county officials said they had presented a proposal for a more robust flood warning system, similar to a tornado warning system, but that members of the public reeled at the cost. On Sunday, officials walked out of a news briefing after reporters asked them again about delays in alerts and evacuations. Monumental clearing and rebuilding effort The flash floods have erased campgrounds and torn homes from their foundations. "It's going to be a long time before we're ever able to clean it up, much less rebuild it," Kelly said Saturday after surveying the destruction from a helicopter. Other massive flooding events have driven residents and business owners to give up, including in areas struck last year by Hurricane Helene. AP photographers have captured the scale of the destruction, and one of Texas' largest rescue and recover efforts.
CBS News
26-06-2025
- CBS News
Search for missing fisherman along the Yough River to continue on Thursday
A family is holding out hope that their loved one will be found alive. A man was fishing along the Yough River in Connellsville when he disappeared. On Thursday, activity will pick back up along the river after yesterday, when there were search crews on the ground as well as in the air. They're still looking for 55-year-old Jerry Grimm, and crews have been using boats, divers, and helicopters in the search effort. It all started on Tuesday night when New Haven Hose Company's fire chief got a 911 call around 9 p.m. about a fisherman who had gone missing in the river. Connellsville Police Sergeant Bryan Kendi said Grimm was last seen near the Crawford Avenue Bridge. They were able to make that assessment from the people who had last seen him. "Witnesses described the male being in one position, and then essentially started to move down river, and unfortunately, with the way that the river flows, there's a bend when it reaches the Crawford Avenue Bridge, and they unfortunately lost sight of him at that point," Kendi said. Now, Kendi added that crews are focusing their search around that area, where Grimm went around the bend. Meanwhile, public safety officials have been warning people to exercise caution on the Yough River prior to Grimm's disappearance. Especially because the rivers and rapids that run through Ohiopyle are up nearly four feet. Just over a week ago, an experienced kayaker drowned in the Yough River. And earlier this month, three kayakers also had to be rescued when water levels were even higher. These crews have been busy, and the spike in heat certainly has not helped. Connellsville's mayor posted on social media about the conditions on Wednesday night, but added that they'll be right back at it this morning to figure out the next steps.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Yahoo
Family and friends of missing paddleboarder continue to seek answers
Jun. 8—More than a thousand hours of searching for missing West Glacier resident Emily Rea has yielded few clues to her whereabouts. Nearly a year after her disappearance, friends and family are organizing more ground search teams, hoping to get federal investigators involved and spreading the news about her far and wide. Rea, 34, was last seen on July 16, 2024. Her last known location is the Hungry Horse Reservoir, where she put her paddleboard in near the Riverside boat launch. Her car was discovered in the parking area there on July 17. Her paddleboard was found upside down in the Flossy Creek area more than 2 miles west of the boat launch with her paddle assembled and stowed. At a rally organized for Rea at Whitefish United Methodist Church on May 31, people wore shirts emblazoned with "never stop praying." An auction was held to raise money for a private investigator. Booths were arranged so people could sign up to volunteer for the search effort. Friends sold plants raised by family in Georgia and potted by Rea's students at the Skola School in Whitefish. Nina Rea, Emily's mother, said they are appreciative of the efforts by the Flathead County Sheriff's Office to locate her daughter. But the unanswered questions raised by the circumstances of Rea's disappearance have prompted friends and family to widen the scope of their search. "We're navigating uncharted waters, so to speak. Where does one find a playbook on what do you do when your child disappears without a trace? We're forging ahead, not knowing where we're going, except the goal of finding Em," Nina Rea said. Relatives believe there are enough anomalies to warrant broadening the search, extending beyond the water of the reservoir and investigating the possibility of foul play. Nina Rea listed the location of Rea's paddleboard, how her paddle was stowed and assembled, and the decision to bring an electric key fob in a non-waterproof bag, as details that give her pause. Known as a competent outdoorswoman, Rea was organized and tidy. Her aunt, Emme Sanders, also had questions about the location of the bag Rea's paddleboard is stored in, which was found stuffed under the board's bungee cords. "She typically always takes care of her things. I don't know if you're a paddleboarder, but most do not take that with them on the water. Emily, in the past, has always left that in her vehicle," Sanders said. During a presentation at last weekend's rally, Rea's family and friends said they are at a turning point with their search. While raising money to hire a private investigator, they want federal help on the case and are hoping volunteers will organize their own search groups. Nina Rea said authorities last summer discouraged them from conducting an independent investigation, worried about it potentially interfering with the search. As a second summer without Rea gets underway, they believe time is of the essence — and they want to leave no stone unturned. MEANWHILE, THE Sheriff's Office is continuing its investigation into Rea's disappearance. County law enforcement worked with multiple agencies last year to locate Rea, an effort that included K-9 units, divers, volunteers, and boat and ground teams. The search also employed sonar, underwater robots, drones and a Two Bear Air helicopter. Sheriff Brian Heino said investigators will again deploy sonar, including side-scan sonar, this summer. Side-scan sonar is used for detecting objects on the floor of a body of water. It is employed, for example, to map shipwrecks. Heino said investigators took the opportunity to search with dogs two weeks ago while the water in the reservoir was still low, at its winter pool. Searching the reservoir comes with challenges, Heino said. Because it's a river valley that was backfilled from the Hungry Horse Dam, there are extreme variations in depth and an underwater landscape of stumps and felled trees on the muddy bottom. "We have all these stumps that are at the bottom that when you're running sonar, you're getting a picture that's not exact," Heino said. Search teams also ran into technical problems with the sonar last summer, issues that have since been fixed. Heino met with Rea's family in early June to discuss the search efforts. He said the Sheriff's Office is sharing maps with them as they plan independent searches, as well as any information they may request going forward. "For closure for the family, we have to consider what their needs are for the processing of this tragedy. If this allows them to do that, we'll give them the information [we've gathered]," Heino said. As for getting federal investigators involved, Heino said the search has already received aid from federal agencies. His team is working with the Department of Homeland Security to access Rea' laptop, he said. "Basically, as we move forward, you have to have valid information. I think a lot of the frustration here is that there's conceptual ideas that things have happened, but you have to have factual information to move forward on it," Heino said. The Sheriff's Office followed up on myriad tips about Rea last summer, including claims by psychics, as news of her disappearance spread. REA WORKED as a speech pathologist, most recently at the nature-based Skola School in Whitefish. She also helped manage a vacation rental in Halfmoon. She is described by those close to her as having a large, giving heart. Her coworker Ashley Thomas-Meager said Rea deserves to have people show up for her, like she would have shown up for people in her life. "She was very reliable, and just like a wonderful person. Her smile could really light up a room. And it was important for me to be here, because people who didn't know her need to know that she's out there and she deserves to be found," Thomas-Meager said. Nina Rea said the rally for Rea made her feel encouraged, because there is a community of people bonded together in support of finding her daughter. Referencing her "never stop praying" shirt, Nina Rea said it is her faith that is giving her strength to move forward. "My life, my health, has been covered by people who say, specifically, 'I want to pray for you.' ... And I want to share that with others for the prayer support. I think otherwise, I'd be a blithering idiot on the floor in front of you, because it's not my strength," Nina Rea said. "We've asked for [prayer] to be at the top of every hour, for anybody who can, because at this point in time, there is not a continent on this Earth where someone is not praying for Emily Rea to be found, and that's astounding to me," she added. Those interested in getting involved in the search for Emily Rea should go to Officials urge anyone with information regarding Rea to contact the Sheriff's Office at 406-752-TIPS. Taylor Inman may be reached at 758-4440 or tinman@ Volunteers sold plants to raise funds to hire a private investigator to aid in the search of Emily Rea, a 33-year-old West Glacier resident who went missing in the Hungry Horse Reservoir in July 2024. (Taylor Inman/Daily Inter Lake) Missing persons poster for Emily Rea, a 33-year-old West Glacier resident who went missing last July in the Hungry Horse Reservoir. (photo provided)
