Over 160 people still missing after deadly Texas floods; Abbott deflects blame question
Editor's Note: This page is a summary of news on Texas floods for Tuesday, July 8. For the latest news on the Texas flooding, read Paste BN's coverage for Wednesday, July 9.
More than 100 people are confirmed dead and at least 161 are missing as search and rescue operations in central Texas entered a fifth day Tuesday after heavy rainfall overwhelmed the Guadalupe River, sending floodwaters roaring through homes and area summer camps.
The death toll rose to at least 110, including at least 27 children and counselors from the beloved Camp Mystic, a storied Christian girls camp in Kerr County, where flooding hit the hardest beginning July 4. At least 30 children were among those killed in the county, Sheriff Larry Leitha said in an update Tuesday morning.
Five Mystic campers and one counselor remain unaccounted for, said Leitha, who updated the county's death toll to 87, up from 84 the previous day. The last "live rescue" was made on Friday, said Jonathan Lamb with the Kerrville Police Department, and the chances of finding survivors dwindle as time passes.
Officials in Kendall County also said Tuesday that the death toll there rose to seven, up from six. In Burnet County, a fifth person was confirmed dead, Capt. Mike Sorenson with the sheriff's office confirmed to Paste BN.
In an afternoon news conference, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed the fatalities and said 161 people are known to be missing in Kerr County alone. That second figure is much larger than previously believed.
"The hearts of our fellow Texans are breaking every single day because of what people in this community and the surrounding are are going through,'' Abbott said.
The flooding came in the early morning hours, and the rainfall caused the nearby Guadalupe River to surge over 26 feet in less than an hour, according to Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. By Tuesday, forecasters said storms would taper off, finally providing search and rescue teams some relief.
As first responders and volunteers scour the region for any sign of life, rescuing people clinging to trees using helicopters, the death toll has steadily risen. Parents nationwide looked on with anxiety and horror as the toll at Camp Mystic became clearer. Photos of the aftermath show children's bunks caked in mud, belongings strewn about, and a building with an entire wall missing.
"We will not stop until every missing person is found," Abbott has pledged.
Williamson County reports third death as authorities enter recovery phase
On Tuesday, search and rescue crews recovered the body of the third missing victim, bringing the death toll to three in Williamson County.
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office also identified the second victim recovered as Sherry Merlene Richardson, 64. The sheriff's office previously identified the first victim on Sunday as Kaitlyn Swallow, 22, who was recovered late Saturday.
About 175 first responders began operations at 8 a.m. local time on Tuesday in the area, the Williamson County Office of Emergency Management said in a statement. The agency said its focus will be clearing brush and vegetation with all-terrain vehicles and grader equipment, assisted by boats, drones, and K9s.
Road and bridge crews were also working on clearing and repairing damaged county roads, according to the agency. Eleven roads remain closed with four roads sustaining pavement damage and others still flooded.
The agency said its crews, along with teams from Houston and Galveston fire departments, have started damage assessments. As of Tuesday, 38 properties were categorized as having major damage or destroyed.
Texas officials denied $1M request for flood warning system
Summer camps were on the minds of Kerr County leaders nearly a decade ago when they requested $1 million from the state to build a flood warning system that would have alerted residents to dangerous conditions in real-time.
Then-County Commissioner Tom Moser envisioned designating point people at each camp who would monitor a website and warn camp counselors and attendees if evacuation was needed.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management denied the funding request, even though in June 2016, President Barack Obama had declared a major disaster in Texas after torrential rains killed 20 people, a move that unlocked more than $100 million to both clean up the damage and help communities across the state prepare for the next disaster.
That next disaster arrived last weekend, along with questions about how many lives a warning system would have saved. Read more here
− Kenny Jacoby
Gov. Abbott deflects question of blame with football analogy
Abbott said an investigation into the events surrounding the tragedy may begin in an upcoming special session of the legislature, and he took umbrage at a question about who's to blame for the heavy toll of the calamity in an area known for flash floods.
"That’s the word choice of losers," Abbott said before launching into an analogy about the state’s most beloved sport, football, and how different teams respond to hardships.
"The losing teams are the ones that try to point out who’s to blame," he said. "The championship teams are the ones that say, 'Don’t worry about it, man, we’ve got this. We’re going to make sure that we go score again and we’re going to win this game.'"
Kerrville jewelry store sells out of fundraiser charm
A jewelry store in Kerrville announced that it sold out of the charm it said would serve as a fundraiser for the flood-stricken community.
James Avery Artisan Jewelry said in a July 7 Facebook post that all proceeds from the sales of the "Deep in the Heart of Texas" charm through Aug. 4 would go to relief efforts in and around Hill Country. The company added that it is pledging $1 million for "food, shelter, mental health care, and other critical needs."
"We’re humbled by the support you’ve shown our friends and family in the Texas Hill Country and surrounding areas," the company said in a July 8 update. "The Deep in the Heart of Texas Charm sold out faster than we could have imagined."
− James Powel
Noem says 'God's hand' saved hundreds in Texas flood
Homeland Security Secretary Kristen Noem on Tuesday thanked “God’s hand” for saving hundreds of people from dying in the devastating central Texas floods, where rescue efforts continue.
“We're still looking for a lot of little girls and other family members that were camping along that river, and they will continue until they find every single person,” Noem told President Donald Trump during a Cabinet meeting. “And we will continue to help them and assist in that.”
Noem painted a vivid picture from her recent trip to Texas, where she said she saw parents searching for their children who had stayed at Camp Mystic. Noem said she saw one parent pick up their daughter’s stuffed animal out of the mud and another parent find their child’s shoe in a cabin.
“Just hugging and comforting people matters a lot,” Noem said. “I'm extremely grateful for God's hand in that whole situation, because hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people were saved.”
“This is a time for all of us in this country to remember that we were created to serve each other. God created us take care of each other,” she said.
− Joey Garrison
Drier weather ahead for flood-ravaged Hill Country
The National Weather Service warned central Texas residents to remain on alert as isolated showers and storms on Tuesday could bring a couple of inches of rain in a short span, but said relief to flood-ravaged areas would come soon.
"With saturated soils over a good portion of the local area especially the Hill Country and I-35 corridor including the Austin and San Antonio metro areas, rain rates over 2 inches per hour are likely to cause flooding over low lying and poor drainage areas," forecasters said. "Therefore, it is important to stay vigilant."
Drier weather is in store by Wednesday and through the end of the week, forecasters said. Rain chances will gradually decrease during the day and are less than 10 % later in the week. That should help rescue efforts, which have been hampered by continued rainfall and thunderstorms.
Home swept away in raging New Mexico river waters
A flash flood emergency was issued Tuesday in and around the southcentral New Mexico town of Ruidoso, where burn scars from two large fires last year left the terrain susceptible to mudslides and increased runoff.
The Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood, about three miles from Ruidoso, rose by 20 feet in less than half an hour, according to NewsChannel3Now, which posted a video of a house being swept in the swollen river.The river crested at a provisional measure of 20.24 feet, according to the National Weather Service office in Albuquerque, which said that would set a new record, considerably above the 15.86 feet the river registered on July 20, 2024.At around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, the office issued a stern warning saying, "A DANGEROUS situation is unfolding in RUIDOSO! A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY remains in effect! Seek HIGHER GROUND NOW! Do NOT attempt to drive through the floodwaters. The current will carry away your vehicle!''
Stop flying your drones, officials say. How the tech is helping, and hurting
Rescuers responding to the Texas flooding have used drones to search for signs of life, but emergency responders are warning citizens to keep their private drones grounded after an unauthorized aerial vehicle collided with a helicopter during rescue efforts.
A drone illegally operating in restricted airspace crashed into a helicopter involved in emergency operations Monday, Kerr County officials said. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing and is out of service “until further notice,” according to the county. No injuries were reported.
“This was entirely preventable,” the city of Kerrville said in a statement. “When you fly a drone in restricted areas, you’re not just breaking the law – you’re putting first responders, emergency crews, and the public at serious risk.”
Emergency officials have used drones to scour some areas around the Guadalupe River. The Texas Air National Guard deployed giant MQ-9 drones Sunday to gather high-resolution images and assess the impact of the flooding in Hill Country. Williamson County said it has also used drones as part of its search and rescue efforts.
Congressman's daughters survive Camp Mystic tragedy
Amid all the stories of loss and grief, a Texas congressman shared the good news of reuniting with his two daughters who were attending Camp Mystic.
U.S. Rep. August Pfluger said in a Facebook post that daughters Caroline and Juliana were evacuated from the camp and rejoined him, his wife, Camille, and their other daughter, Vivian.
“The last day has brought unimaginable grief to many families, and we mourn with them as well as holding out hope for survivors,” the Republican representative for Congressional District 11 in west Texas said in a July 5 post, adding: "Please join us today as we pray for miracles.''
In another post, Pfluger mourned the death of longtime camp director Richard "Dick'' Eastland, who he said "no doubt gave his life attempting to save his campers."
− Paul Witwer, San Angelo Standard-Times
Flooding deaths top 100. Where they happened
The hardest-hit area from flooding was Kerr County, particularly Kerrville, a city about 60 miles outside San Antonio with just over 25,000 residents. Here's the breakdown of where the deaths occurred by county:
- Kerr County: 87
- Travis County: 7
- Kendall County: 7
- Burnet County: 5
- Williamson County: 3
- Tom Green County: 1
Camp Mystic counselors describe evacuating with children
As two counselors began to realize the severity of the situation at Camp Mystic on Friday, they wrote their campers' names on their skin and began preparing them for the worst, Silvana Garza Valdez and María Paula Zárate told Mexican news outlet NMás.
Garza Valdez and Zárate said they were staying in a part of the camp on higher ground and learned early in the morning that campers from closer to the riverfront had made it to their part of camp, but others were missing. They said they saw furniture from the camp begin to flow by in the inundated river. They played games and sang songs to distract their campers.
The counselors had very little information and didn't find out until later that anyone had died, they told the outlet. They were evacuated out of the camp on military trucks and saw some of the extent of the destruction, the 19-year-old Garza Valdez told Univision.
"You saw mattresses in the trees, you saw flooded tables, you saw clothes hanging in the trees," she said. "It was something you wouldn't wish on anyone."
Trump to visit Texas on Friday after flood devastation
Trump said he will visit Texas on Friday as the state reels from the devastation of last weekend's floods.
Trump confirmed his travel to the Lone Star State as he talked to reporters during a White House dinner Monday night with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"Texas was just so badly hurt by something that was a big surprise late in the evening," Trump said. "So, we'll be working with the governor and all of the people of Texas. We'll be going on Friday."
– Joey Garrison
Family of missing Camp Mystic counselor asks for prayers
The family of Katherine Ferruzzo, a counselor at Camp Mystic, said she was still missing on Monday evening and asked for prayers as first responders continued to search for her.
"Katherine has a fierce and loving spirit, and we have no doubt she did all she could to save the lives of the girls in her cabin," the family said through a spokesperson, Paige Donnell.
There were over 700 girls at Camp Mystic when floodwaters overwhelmed the century-old camp, officials have said. Among those reported dead are the camp's owner, Dick Eastland, campers Sarah Marsh, 8; Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, 14; and counselor Chloe Childress, 19.
"It was nothing short of horrific to see what those young children went through," Abbott told reporters after visiting the camp. "We will remain 100% dedicated to finding any of those missing children as well as anyone else."
Are America's summer camps safe? What to know after flooding tragedy
Off to camp. It’s an American summer tradition. But tragedy is unpredictable and can happen any time.
The July 4 flooding in central Texas impacted several youth camps along the Guadalupe River, most notably Camp Mystic, where over two dozen were confirmed dead. The deadly deluge has shined a national spotlight on camp safety and what parents should do before sending their kids off to camps across the United States.
Over 26 million children attend U.S. summer camps annually, from Florida to Alaska. A Paste BN review of summer camp deaths in numerous states shows drownings, accidents and illnesses at camps remain a persistent problem that has led to many lawsuits alleging negligence against camp owners.
Some experts say more precautions are needed.
"If you have a higher duty of care, like you're taking care of people’s children, maybe even though it’s such a lovely spot, you don't allow" cabins to be placed close to potentially dangerous waters, said Natalie Simpson, a disaster response expert at the University at Buffalo School of Management. Read more.
– Michael Loria
Jenna Bush Hager mourns Camp Mystic victims: 'Our hearts are heavy'
"A homesick Texan living in New York," Jenna Bush Hager is mourning the tragedy that has unfolded in Central Texas.
"We have to start just saying our hearts are heavy this morning thinking of my home state of Texas. Obviously there (was) devastating flooding," Bush Hager somberly said on "Today with Jenna and Friends" on July 7.
She told guest co-host Dwayne Wade that her mom, former first lady Laura Bush, was a counselor at Camp Mystic and that many of her friends attended the camp. "It is a place that raised so many girls to become women, and it was almost like a spiritual, beautiful place," she said.
She reflected: "I think as parents, we think about the horror of sending our kids to a place that's supposed to be — and is — healing and fun and joyful and all the things that kids deserve to have, and then something like this (happened)." Read more here.
— KiMi Robinson