Rescue crews in central Texas are anxiously watching river levels as they prepare to resume searches for more than 160 people still missing after catastrophic flooding that devastated Kerr County and surrounding areas earlier this month.
The July 4th floods described as worse than a 100-year event have so far claimed at least 132 lives. Many more remain unaccounted for, including 160 in Kerr County alone, where entire homes and vehicles were swept away in the dark by fast-moving water that rose more than 26 feet overnight.
Search operations were suspended Sunday when renewed storms raised concerns about flash flooding. Ingram Fire Department officials ordered all crews to evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor, citing high risk. Door-to-door warnings and emergency alerts were issued overnight to warn residents as the weather system swept through.
“It was the first time we’ve had to pause because of weather,” said Levi Bizzell, spokesman for the Ingram Fire Department. “But everybody here wants to be out there. They show up exhausted but determined to bring families closure.”
By Sunday afternoon, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said some western teams had resumed efforts, and others were waiting for river levels and terrain conditions to stabilize before re-entering the field Monday.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has extended a flood watch across Texas Hill Country through 9 p.m. Monday, with up to five inches of rain possible.
Gov. Greg Abbott said emergency rescues took place in several counties on Sunday, including San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher. About 100 homes were damaged in the latest flooding, along with extensive stretches of cattle fencing and other rural infrastructure, according to Ashley Johnson of the Hill Country Community Action Association.
“Anything you can imagine in a rural community was damaged,” Johnson said. “Our blessing is it was daylight and we knew it was coming.”
Residents near the San Saba River have been ordered to evacuate, with shelters set up at the San Saba Civic Center.
The same weather system has sparked chaos across the state. In McGregor, a driver had to be rescued from waist-deep rapids on a submerged bridge over the Bosque River. In Sonora, 110 miles northwest of Kerrville, residents in low-lying neighborhoods were told to evacuate due to rising floodwaters.
Back in Kerrville, residents continued clearing storm debris under heavy rain. On Guadalupe Street, Matthew Stone worked to unclog a storm drain in front of his flooded home. “The cops have been coming back and forth, we’re getting lots of alerts, we’re getting a lot of support,” he said.
One of the worst-hit locations was Camp Mystic, a century-old girls’ summer camp located in a low-lying bend of the Guadalupe River. At least 27 campers and staff members are believed to have died when the waters surged through the site.
Search efforts across the region have involved helicopters, drones, and boats. Officials say the disaster moved so rapidly and with such force that many residents didn’t have time to react and that the region’s lack of a comprehensive warning system made the tragedy worse.
Governor Abbott and local leaders are now under pressure to review the region’s flood preparedness and response strategy. For now, rescue teams are racing the weather to bring answers to grieving families still waiting.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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