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At least 111 deaths have been confirmed in six counties. Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday afternoon that 161 people are missing in Kerr County alone. Overall, 172 people remain missing. Here’s what we know about some of the victims.
Here are the top headlines:
- Resources for Texans affected by flooding: Find shelter, supplies and assistance
- Today’s forecast from the KXAN First Warning Weather team
- Why were flash floods across Central Texas so catastrophic? Read Meteorologist Freddy Vela’s weather blog post.
- Our previous live blogs: July 4, July 5, July 6, July 7.
- “Total destruction”: 10 still missing in Travis County, Big Sandy Creek area devastated
- “Hunt Strong”: Community icon, the Hunt Store, destroyed in Kerr Co. flood
- Austin Fire Chief defends response after accusations of delaying help for Kerr County flooding; Austin Firefighters Association president calls no confidence vote
- Final missing person in Burnet County is Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Chief, sheriff says
- How does FEMA work? Owner of emergency response company explains FEMA’s process
This blog is no longer being updated. Find the latest updates here.
TUESDAY UPDATES
9:50 p.m.
‘Wall of water’: Hunt Flood survivor shares escape from her flooded house
As the flood recovery and clean-up efforts enter their fifth full day, Gov. Greg Abbott provided a staggering update: 161 people are now confirmed to be missing in Kerr County alone, in addition to the total number of 111 confirmed deaths.
“There’s so many people that we know here that are gone,” Hunt resident Rena Bailey said. “And they haven’t even finished finding them yet.”
Bailey was in her home when the rain started rushing in on the morning of July 4. She said she was watching the storm’s pattern online when it broke out.
“I always do that, I want to know where lightning is striking. Weird, but, anyway,” Bailey said. The self-described ‘weird quirk’ may have saved her life.
9:45 p.m.
After deadly floods, state and federal leaders look for answers
In the aftermath of the Kerr County flooding, there are growing questions about how the response was handled as leaders at all levels continue looking for answers.
“I think there’s certainly a lot of questions that need to be answered, you know, the how and the why are always something that we’re going to look at in the wake of a tragedy,” said State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso. “And that’s something we owe to the people of Texas, to those families who have suffered immensely, we owe that to them.”
Moody wants to see long-term and immediate changes that could include funding for outdoor warning sirens.
“When we’re talking about short-term solutions, like these flood warning systems,” Moody said. “Those are things we can do right now.”
9:05 p.m.: The Butt family, H-E-B and the H.E. Butt Foundation announced a $5 million donation that will go toward “Texas flood recover efforts,” according to an announcement from H-E-B newsroom.
“H-E-B is committed to providing our communities with immediate and long-term relief as efforts continue in response to the destructive floods that have devastated areas across Texas. While the situation is still in the early stages, the Butt family, H-E-B, and the H.E. Butt Foundation have committed $5 million in funding to nonprofits providing aid and recovery support to communities most in need. In addition, H-E-B is providing on-the-ground meals, volunteers, product, and support to impacted areas,” H-E-B said.
9 p.m.
A family saved, a hero lost from Burnet County floods
Days after the tragic flooding that hit Burnet County, community members are still working on cleaning up the area.
Jodi Riley-King and her family were in their house when the flooding happened. Their house now is damage severely, but Riley-King said she’s happy she got out alive.
“We actually thought we weren’t going to make it, and we were telling each other how much we loved each other and that we knew it was goodbye,” Riley-King said.
Riley-King and her family made it to the Pecan tree in their front yard and held on to it while the water was chest high.
7:30 p.m.
Kerrville locals call July 4 floods ‘unfathomable’ after decades of smaller floods
As the number of those dead or still missing continues to rise, locals in the Texas town of Kerrville are picking up the pieces.
“We get flood warnings, which we get all the time, it’s like ‘oh I wonder if the river is going to come up’ but you don’t panic because you ain’t scared,” said Mark Armstrong, owner of The Lakehouse restaurant.
On Friday, July 4, he and his wife arrived at the restaurant to a surprise. While they knew the flood was bad, they had seen so many before they didn’t worry. Then, around 7 a.m., they pulled up the restaurant they’ve owned for nearly 30 years to find water flooding all the way to the street.
The Lakehouse overlooks the Guadalupe River. A steep slope had protected the restaurant from past floods. Armstrong said the closest a flood had ever gotten before was 100 yards down the slope.
7:25 p.m.: Live Nation said on social media it is “donating $1 million to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country to support flood relief efforts across Texas.”
“This state has long been home to artists, fans, and crews who bring live music to life, and we stand with those impacted as the recovery begins.”
7:20 p.m.
How to talk about grief, loss with children following deadly Central Texas floods
In the aftermath of catastrophic floods in Central Texas over Independence Day weekend, some mental health professionals said they are inundated with requests from families seeking services and guidance.
Megan Butler, a licensed professional counselor with Lucero, said she has received calls from her clients, but also from school districts and other organizations. With at least 30 children among the more than 100 people who have died, they are helping their kids navigate grief, loss and confusion that comes from losing a friend or classmate, or from hearing about this kind of disaster.
Butler urged parents to begin any conversation with their kids by validating their feelings and then following up with care.
5:30 p.m.
P. Terry’s to donate all profits Thursday to Austin flood relief
After the deadly floods in Central Texas, organizations and businesses alike are coming up with ways to support the victims. That includes P. Terry’s.
The chain announced it will donate 100% of its profits Thursday to the Austin Disaster Relief Network. KXAN’s Will DuPree talked to the restaurant’s founder Patrick Terry about the decision to do this.
4:50 p.m.
‘A shock’: Maintenance workers clear trash, debris, swept up docks from Lake Travis after floods
KXAN’s Jala Washington said Carl Muennink and Robert Lesko begin their days before the sun comes up, preparing for another day clearing debris, trash and swept away docks.
The two work for a company called Dependable Docks. After devastating floods in Central Texas over the weekend, they’ve spent the past several days on Lake Travis, trying to clear all the gunk out.
“It was kind of a shock to see just how destroyed everything was and how much the water had come up,” Lesko said.
Muennink, also in awe, began documenting their cleanup journey on social media.
4:20 p.m.: A third death was confirmed in Williamson County. That brings the statewide total to 111.
“Williamson County is in the recovery phase of the flood disaster. Road and Bridge crews continue to clear and repair damaged county roads. Eleven roads remain closed with four roads sustaining pavement damage and others still flooded,” the county said.
4:15 p.m.: Kendall County death toll now at eight, according to the Office of Emergency Management. That now brings the death toll in Central Texas to 110 statewide.
4 p.m.:
In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Abbott confirmed that 161 people are missing in Kerr County alone.
“We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” Abbott said.
He said those missing from Camp Mystic are down to five campers and one counselor, in addition to another child not associated with the camp who is missing.
If anyone in the community thinks anyone is missing, they can call 830-258-1111 or go online to kerrvillemissing@dps.texas.gov. You can provide the name and best identification and location of those missing, Abbott said.
He said since President Donald Trump issued a disaster declaration for the Central Texas area that it has “opened up access to more funding and resources,” including debris removal and assistance for individuals eligible to apply.
Abbott said he spoke with Trump Tuesday morning, who told Abbott the following about those affected at Camp Mystic: “[Trump] could not stop talking about how sad he was for all the little girls who have lost their life. He recounted his own understanding of what was really a tsunami wave of water. He cares a lot about those young ladies.”
Abbott said he also received a text from Health Sec. Robert Kennedy that said the following: “Gov. Abbott, it’s Sec. Robert Kennedy. We are set to declare a public health emergency for the Texas Hill Country flash floods. This will make it easier for healthcare and mental health providers from out of state to help both by traveling to the area and by telemedicine. Please let us know where we can be most helpful.” Abbott said he will let him know.
A special session will start two Monday from now, and Abbott said that session will have at the top of its agenda helping communities, like in Kerr County, Kendall County, as well as in Central Texas and the Big County — all areas affected by the floods of the past week. He said those issues are going to be on the agenda for the state to address, from top to bottom.
“We want to make sure that when we end that session, we end it making sure these communities are better, more resilient and have the resources that they need for the next chapter of their lives.”
2:37 p.m.
Drone collides with helicopter responding to Texas floods, damaging ‘critical piece’ of response equipment
A helicopter involved in emergency operations in Kerr County — which was struck hardest by catastrophic flash flooding across Texas — was damaged after colliding with a private drone flying in the area.
The city of Kerrville and the city’s police department made posts on Facebook Monday evening about the collision, which happened earlier that day.
“This afternoon, a private drone illegally operating in restricted airspace collided with a helicopter involved in emergency operations in Kerr County,” the city’s post said. “The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing, and a critical piece of response equipment is now out of service until further notice.”
The post said the collision was “entirely preventable” because of Temporary Flight Restrictions, or TFRs, in the area. However, the TFRs were not in effect until Tuesday.
2:08 p.m.: The 5 p.m. Kerr County presser is cancelled. However, the 3 p.m. presser with Gov. Abbott is still happening.
1:18 p.m.: A 5 p.m. presser in Kerr County with Gov. Abbott and other state officials has been rescheduled to 3 p.m. We’ll still live stream it in this blog.
12:45 p.m.: A burn ban is now in effect for northwest Travis County, along Big Sandy Creek, Cow Creek and other areas near creeks. The ban is in place to support search and rescue operations.
12:30 p.m.: Gov. Abbott is back in the disaster area and will do another flyover to survey damage.
12:14 p.m.: In New Braunfels, Texas, access to the Comal and Guadalupe rivers within city limits remain closed.
“While conditions are improving, local rivers are still experiencing increased flow, water clarity issues, and hidden submerged debris. Conditions will be reevaluated on Wednesday morning (July 9) to determine when recreation can resume,” said the city in a news release.
12:12 p.m.: Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called into NewsNation this morning to talk about how his agency is helping with flood efforts:
12:00 p.m.: Austin’s waterway access ban has been lifted.
11:58 a.m.: Williamson County Commissioners will meet Friday at 10:30 a.m. for a special session on flood recovery.
11:54 a.m.: LCRA said it concluded floodgate operations at Wirtz and Starcke dams this morning.
11:25 a.m.: KXAN’s Todd Bailey sent back images of flood damage along Cow Creek in Burnet County:
11:17 a.m.: Kendall County updated its death toll to seven, which brings our statewide total to 109.
11:15 a.m.: The Williamson County Office of Emergency Management said that it had at least 175 responders active at 8 a.m. today. Those crews started today’s search near Liberty Hill — one person remains missing at this time.
The Williamson County Sheriff asked drone operators to not fly in the county to avoid interference with operations.
“We are so grateful for the support from our cities and fellow counties to aid us in the search,” said County Judge Steve Snell. “We also are thankful for the outpouring of prayers and donations from the community for the flood victims. Williamson County is a strong and resilient community that helps one another. While we have a long road ahead, we are up to the task.”
11:05 a.m.: Nexstar’s DC Bureau team asked Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, about the flood. He called it devastating and unprecedented. He visited the disaster area Saturday.
“The fact that so many innocent victims, some as young as eight years old, were impacted by these floods has made this so much harder for people to deal with,” Cornyn said. “I’ve talked to parents whose children survive, who are still traumatized and realizing how closely they came to losing the things they cared most about in life, which is their young children.”
Cornyn said he expects the cleanup to be massive and will “last a long time.” As to questions about the impact of cuts to federal agencies, he said that there were “no shortage of resources available” to responders and that this was a rare occurrence.
“[NWS cuts] had nothing to do with this outcome, but I’m sure there will be a lot of inquiries at the state level, and certainly we’ll be paying attention and working with them,” he said. “Even if there are lessons to be learned at the federal level, we’ll be learning those lessons and trying to do everything we can to prevent tragedies like this from occurring in the future.”
10:50 a.m.: The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office identified its second flood victim as Sherry Merlene Richardson, 64, from Liberty Hill.
10:30 a.m.: Kerr County officials said their next press conference will be at 5 p.m. today. That press conference will include Gov. Abbott, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, TDEM Chief Nim Kidd, DPS Col. Freeman Martin, and Major General Suelzer of the Texas Military Department.
10:17 a.m.: The Kerr County presser has concluded. During the press conference, VanderRoest said that game wardens had two helicopters, 12 drones, and 10 K9 units.
10:15 a.m.: Kerr Sheriff Leitha said he was first notified around 4-5 a.m. on July 4. In response to a question asking about that, he said that constructing a timeline is not one of his current priorities. He said his priorities include: locating and identifying victims, as well as notifying next of kin.
VanderRoest promised that answers would come after disaster operations conclude, but not at this moment.
10:08 a.m.: Game wardens searched approximately 26 miles of river and performed more than 400 rescues, said Col. Ron VanderRoest. He noted that responders have needed to search debris “layer by layer.”
10:05 a.m.: Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha said at the press conference that 87 people are confirmed dead, and that 30 of those were children. Five Camp Mystic campers and one counselor remain missing.
The statewide total is now 108, surpassing the death toll from Hurricane Harvey in 2017.
9:50 a.m.: We’re at Kerr County’s press conference, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. That will be live streamed in this story and a recording will be added later.
9:30 a.m.: Judge Brown said that TDEM provide two crew to assist with search efforts Saturday. An additional team will be in the county today. He also said that TCEQ and the Army Corps of Engineers have been in the county to help with pumping water out of flooded areas.
“I don’t know how we could have accomplished that work without them,” Brown said. “TDEM has been with us all the way.”
9:25 a.m.: Travis County Judge Andy Brown spoke about recovery efforts in Big Sandy Creek. He said that Travis County ESD 1 leads with efforts there with help from multiple county ESDs, Austin Fire, TDEM and volunteers from Austin Police. He also spoke to the civilian volunteers providing aid in the area.
“I wanted to give people a taste of the intense efforts out there,” Brown said. “Its been a combined effort of many ESDs out there to save lives and help people get their lives back together.”
9:15 a.m.: Following a moment of silence, Travis County Commissioners moved quickly through their order of business to reach a briefing on flooding in the county. Travis County’s fire marshal, emergency coordinator and other public safety officials spoke on the matter.
Fire Marshal Gary Howell recommended the county implement a burn ban in support emergency response. Commissioners approved that unanimously.
9:00 a.m.: The Travis County Commissioners have started their meeting to discuss flood recovery.
Also, KXAN Video Journalist Todd Bailey stopped by an emergency response staging location in Burnet County this morning:
8:45 a.m.: The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office said that it has recovered a body Monday night. That brings the total up to five dead in the county. Michael Phillips, chief of the Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department, remains missing.
8:30 a.m.: The Texas Department of Transportation’s workers have been hard at work with clearing roads in the disaster area. TXDOT said that State Highway 39 and FM 1340 are still closed in Kerr County, but it expects Lemos Bridge on FM 394 to reopen later today.
8:15 a.m.: The Travis County Commissioners Court will meet at 9 a.m. and will discuss flood damage in the county. That meeting will be live streamed.
7:34 a.m.: Today’s forecast from the National Weather Service (NWS) shows “isolated to scattered” showers in our region this afternoon and evening. Fortunately, the NWS said it expects conditions for the rest of this week to get drier starting Wednesday.
KXAN’s forecast can be found in the list at the top of this blog.
6:50 a.m.: KXAN Reporter Mercedez Hernandez was at the Max Starcke Dam in Burnet County. The Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) said it plans to close that dam’s floodgates later today.
6:48 a.m.: Texas A&M Forest Service said it mobilized 225 personnel to assist with flood recovery.
6:43 a.m.: A temporary flight restriction remains in place over disaster areas. Those TFRs include private drones, which impede search and rescue efforts and put lives at risk. Monday afternoon, a drone collided with a rescue helicopter, forcing it to land and be grounded for repairs.
6:30 a.m.: KXAN will be at two press conferences this morning, with the first at 10 a.m., when Kerr County officials will give updates on their situation. Kerr County was hit the hardest by flash flooding on July 4. Gov. Abbott is scheduled for a 4:30 p.m. press conference.
The Austin Firefighters Association has also called a press conference at 11 a.m. There, the AFA’s president is expected to call for a vote of no confidence in Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker, who refuted the AFA president’s claims.
6:28 a.m.: As we begin Tuesday, the confirmed death toll from flooding stands at 104 — 25 people are still missing in Kerr, Travis, Burnet and Williamson counties.
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