Latest news with #TDEM
The Guardian
12-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Texas Hill Country under flood watch as search continues for missing people
Texas Hill Country was back under flood watch on Saturday, with the National Weather Service warning of 'locally heavy rainfall' of 1-3in with isolated amounts near 6in possible. The flood watch, which continues through Sunday evening, comes as the death toll from the 4 July flood continues to rise – now at nearly 130 people - and authorities continue their search for the 160 more who are missing. The latest warnings anticipate considerably less rain than what came down last week, which caused the Guadalupe River to rise 29ft in 45 minutes. The Texas division of emergency management, or TDEM, had mobilized before the storm, but their assets were not focused exclusively on Texas Hill Country. The storm alerts that were issued before and during the storm, in an area of patchy cell service, are now the subject of scrutiny. On Saturday, the Associated Press reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic's buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous floodplain in the years before rushing waters swept away children and counselors. Fema had included the prestigious girls' summer camp in a 'special flood hazard area' on its national flood insurance map for Kerr county in 2011, which meant it was required to have flood insurance and faced tighter regulation on any future construction projects. That designation means an area is likely to be inundated during a 100-year flood – one severe enough that it only has a 1% chance of happening in any given year. The 4 July flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by Fema, 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. Syracuse University associate professor Sarah Pralle, who has extensively studied Fema's flood map determinations, said it was 'particularly disturbing' that a camp in charge of the safety of so many young people would receive exemptions from basic flood regulation. 'It's a mystery to me why they weren't taking proactive steps to move structures away from the risk, let alone challenging what seems like a very reasonable map that shows these structures were in the 100-year flood zone,' she said. Pralle told the AP that some of the exempted properties were within 2ft (0.6 meters) of Fema's floodplain by the camp's revised calculations, which she said left almost no margin for error. She said her research shows that Fema approves about 90% of map amendment requests, and the process may favor the wealthy and well-connected. Experts say Camp Mystic's requests to amend the Fema map could have been an attempt to avoid the requirement to carry flood insurance, lower the camp's insurance premiums or pave the way for renovating or adding new structures under less costly regulations. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion In a statement, Fema downplayed the significance of the flood map amendments to the AP: 'Flood maps are snapshots in time designed to show minimum standards for floodplain management and the highest risk areas for flood insurance. They are not predictions of where it will flood, and they don't show where it has flooded before.' While Texas officials and Donald Trump have been resistant to questions about any failures to forewarn of the impending flood – questions that have largely been put to one side as local and state recovery teams, along with thousands of volunteers, work in and alongside the river to find the missing – the Washington Post reported that Kerr county had the technology to turn every cellphone in the river valley into a loud alarm. But the mass notification system, known as the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System, or Ipaws, was not activated and emergency managers in the county relied on a series of text messages for alerts. Trump visited the area on Friday, telling first responders that he and Melania Trump, the first lady, were there to 'express the love and support and anguish of our entire nation'. 'So all across the country, Americans' hearts are shattered,' he said. 'We're filled with grief and devastation. It's the loss of life and, unfortunately, they're still looking.' Trump said two things had struck him: the 'unity' of Texans and the 'competence' of those responding to the disaster. 'Everyone has just pulled together, it's rare that you see this,' he said.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal assistance approved for additional counties impacted by flooding
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Gov. Greg Abbott's request to add additional counties to President Trump's major disaster declaration related to the July 4 flooding. This comes after, on Thursday, Abbott directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) request that Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson counties be added to the disaster declaration. Abbott's press office said four counties, Kendall, Kimble, Menard, and San Saba, were also approved for FEMA's public assistance program. LIVE BLOG: Search for missing continues as Texas community grieves 'President Donald Trump approved my request to add more counties to his disaster declaration, which will provide critical assistance to Texans and communities impacted by the devastating flooding,' said Governor Abbott. 'There has been extraordinary collaboration with the state and the federal government to make sure that we address Texans' needs as quickly as possible through disaster assistance programs. According to the press release, after the completion and verification of damage assessments, Texans in Burnet, Kerr, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis, and Williamson are eligible for FEMA's individual assistance program. FEMA has also approved its public assistance program, including assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities for Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Menard, and San Saba, according to Abbott's press office. Additionally, the major disaster declaration allows businesses to apply for the U.S. Small Business Administration disaster loan program for physical and economic losses for counties approved for individual assistance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
11-07-2025
- Climate
- The Hill
Sheriff hints at ‘after action' review, as records reveal warning of ‘worst-case flood event'
KERR COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – Local officials in Kerr County continue facing public scrutiny after days of seeming to deflect questions about their preparedness and response to the July 4 flash flood that left dozens dead. The attention comes, as records reviewed by KXAN reveal leaders determined in 2024 that the county likely 'will experience a flood event in the next year.' On Wednesday, during a morning press conference, they updated the death count to 95 with 161 people still missing. While again avoiding answers about specific actions in the hours between weather warnings and the Guadalupe River rising 30 feet, Sheriff Larry Leitha said there would be an 'after-action' review following his 'priority' of notifying victims' families. 'We will answer those questions,' Leitha told reporters. 'I wish y'all would bear with me on that, okay? Bear with me. We'll get them. I can't tell you when – in a week or two, okay? We're gonna get them.' The sheriff also assured answers for 'the people that put me in this office' regarding concerns over the county's CodeRED alerts – which allow subscribers to receive emergency notifications to their mobile devices. The effectiveness of the alerts has surfaced during press events, along with the revelation that Kerr County has no system of warning devices – like sirens – to alert the public, despite a decade of failed attempts to fund and install such a system. Officials, like County Judge Rob Kelly, have maintained they 'did not know this flood was coming,' though the National Weather Service issued a flood watch Thursday – the day before the disaster. It also issued a flash flood warning at 1:14 a.m. Friday, still hours before the river hit its height. The county has not fully explained the timing of evacuations. At 5:31 a.m., it made an initial post on Facebook: 'Be safe and move to higher ground. Do not drive through water. Turn Around – Don't Drown!' A minute later, the sheriff's office also reposted NWS information on its own Facebook page, adding: 'If you are near the water, move to higher ground immediately. Stay clear of low water crossings – turn around, don't drown!' Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has also said the Texas Division of Emergency Management communicated directly with county judges and city mayors about the weather forecast the day before the flood. At Wednesday's press conference, Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr., said he 'did not receive a telephone call' and did not know what resources TDEM had in place. He did not confirm if Kelly was part of any call. 'I wasn't invited to the call,' Herring said. 'Maybe I'm not a local mayor. I can't tell.' KXAN has requested a response on those claims and also a record of communication between local leaders, the NWS, TDEM and other state officials – along with any emergency notifications made – to better understand decisions regarding communication and their public warnings. 'This is the most dangerous river valley in the United States, and we deal with floods on a regular basis – when it rains, we get water,' Kelly said Friday. 'We had no reason to believe this was going to be anything like what has happened here, none whatsoever.' But a KXAN review of the county's most recent hazard mitigation plan shows officials there have known for years flooding was a major threat in the area – and was getting worse. Under the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, the county is required to have a Federal Emergency Management Agency-approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plan in order to be eligible for certain pre- and post-disaster mitigation funds. The latest 220-page plan was formally adopted by Kelly and county commissioners and then submitted to FEMA this April. Stakeholders in the plan included the county, the cities of Ingram and Kerrville, the Kerrville Independent School District, the Kerrville Public Utility Board and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority. Representatives compiling the plan included both Kerr County and Kerrville's emergency management coordinator, Kerrville's fire chief and the UGRA general manager. The group met twice, beginning in March 2024, and conducted public outreach in May and October that year. Their research included historic weather data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the county's previous hazard mitigation plan from 2018 and flood damage prevention ordinances for the county, Kerrville and Ingram each – which identified building requirements and restrictions for structures in the floodplain. Kerr County's emergency management coordinator, William B. 'Dub' Thomas – who has held the post since November 2015 but has not been a primary part of any public appearance or press event since last week's flood – is responsible for the 'continued coordination and monitoring of the mitigation plan' during its 5-year duration. At that point, the planning team is supposed to re-evaluate and update the document, giving members an opportunity to 'identify recent losses due to natural hazards and to consider whether any of those losses could have been avoided.' Thomas has not responded to KXAN's inquiries. The plan notes under 'likelihood of future events,' the group 'determined it is likely that Kerr County and participating jurisdictions will experience a flood event in the next year, meaning an event is probable in the next three years.' The plan detailed at least 106 'flood occurrences' dating back to 1960, including the two most recently listed in 2018 – both flash floods with no injuries, fatalities or property damage. It also noted recent flooding events throughout the county have resulted in up to 10 inches of flood water and that future 'worst-case flood events' could exceed those depths. A section on 'impact' said that could include: While unlikely, the danger from a 500-year flood – which has a 0.2% chance of occurring in any given year – was described as 'not negligible' in the plan. It also mentioned climate change could make the river flooding more frequent. Among the plan's main goals was reducing loss of life and injury, with specific objectives including: Related to the county's previous mitigation plan from 2018, the updated plan identified actions yet to be implemented – or in progress – but still necessary, including: KXAN is awaiting a response from the county about the status of the plan's implementation and whether it was followed during last week's flood.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Abbott seeks more counties in Trump's disaster request
AUSTIN (KFDX/KJTL) — Governor Greg Abbott has directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to request that more counties be added to President Donald Trump's major disaster declaration for the devastating floods that occurred over the holiday weekend. President Trump announced Sunday, July 6, a disaster declaration for Kerr County after the July 4 floods. The declaration allows qualifying Texans to apply for grant funding to help with repair and recovery expenses. It also allows for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program for any physical and economic loss. Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis and Williamson counties are requested to be eligible for FEMA's Individual Assistance Programs and Kendall, Kimble, Menard and San Saba counties are requested to be eligible for FEMA's Public Assistance Program. 'The State of Texas continues to stand with those impacted by the devastating flooding across the state,' Abbott said. 'Today, I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to request additional counties be added to the Presidential Disaster Declaration as they work to heal and recover.' A damage assessment review for Burnet, San Saba, Tom Green, Travis and Williamson counties shows that they exceed the federal criteria for disaster assistance, allowing the possibility to be eligible for federal programs. Texans can apply for FEMA disaster assistance at or by calling (800) 621-3362. More counties can be added as more damage assessments are completed in communities that were impacted. Damage assessments for Kendall, Kimble, Menard and San Saba counties showed that they exceeded the criteria for FEMA's Public Assistance Program. This program assists in emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged in a disaster. As more damage assessments are completed in impacted communities, more counties can be added. Governor Abbott continues to take action to give all the necessary resources to local leaders in these communities, including: Directing the state's ongoing flood response and recovery efforts Announcing disaster unemployment assistance for flood impacts Surveying the flood damage of the affected areas and updating Texans on response efforts Providing an update on the state's ongoing flood response in impacted communities Obtaining approval from President Trump for federal disaster assistance as part of a Major Disaster Declaration Amending the state's disaster declaration to include additional impacted counties and providing an update on the state's emergency response in affected areas Providing an update on the state's response to severe flooding in Kerr County and surrounding communities Increasing the readiness level of the State Operations Center and activating additional state emergency response resources as portions of West and Central Texas are prepared for heavy rainfall and flash flooding threats Deploying state emergency response resources ahead of the rain and flooding threat Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
The Salvation Army Urges Financial Donations as Most Effective Way to Support Central Texas Flood Relief Efforts
ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Salvation Army is continuing its disaster response efforts following the devastating floods in Kerr County and surrounding areas, and will remain on the ground fully committed to this community, serving as long as we are needed. At the request of the Texas Department of Emergency Management (TDEM), The Salvation Army Corps in Kerrville is serving as the location for the Volunteer Reception Center, the coordinated intake location for all volunteer and in-kind donations. The call center, which is operated and staffed by volunteers from the TDEM, routes requests to appropriate service providers based on the nature of the request. At this time, participating agencies are asking the public to pause in-kind donations and instead support the response through financial gifts, which are the most effective way to meet evolving needs on the ground as well as support local businesses. Donations can be made online at by selecting "Texas Floods (July 2025)" or by phone by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY. For media inquiries, please click HERE. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE The Salvation Army
