Catastrophic flash flooding along Guadalupe River, Texas

[mountaineer]

Sharing a Facebook post by Texas resident, Christian singer Wayne Watson:

Wayne Watson

Most of you, by now, probably are aware of the horrific toll and loss of life that took place in the Texas hill country on July 4.
Waters of the Guadalupe River rose almost 30 feet in less than an hour.

The last update counted 132 dead and over 100 still missing.

Most of the reports further designate a number of children from Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp that had, up until that terrible dark morning (this all started in the dark around 4 AM on July 4th) had been a sort of rite of passage on the journey of faith for many families from all around Texas and beyond.

My church, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church will be holding funerals for 4 of the little girls killed in the flood starting today and each day this week.

I can’t imagine.

My dear friend and a spiritual  giant in my life wrote this today and I wanted to share it with you.
____________________
a reflection from Dr. Jim Jackson

The Children Who Died in the Hill Country Floods
The recent Texas Hill Country floods were the worst natural disaster that American has experienced in my lifetime. We have been through many tragic losses—tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and fires. Each has caused extensive loss of life and property. But none of these have killed so many innocent children. The horror of having so many children washed away is more than my mind can take in.

Since July 4, I have been searching for a metaphor to express my grief. The image that keeps returning to my mind is flowers. Could it be that the lives of the young children taken from us were like outrageously beautiful flowers?

When we examine a flower closely, what do we see? We see its intricate petals, its vibrant color, its graceful form, its fresh fragrance. We are also drawn in by its fragility and vulnerability. We know that the flower will soon wilt and die.

A flower’s worth is not defined by its brief lifespan. In a way, its temporariness intensifies its beauty. And its fragile, fleeting nature teaches us important lessons—that living today is what is important, that life is less safe and permanent that we imagine, and that death is inevitable.

We see in flowers a model for life at its best. Flowers remind us to bloom and flourish where we are planted, even if for only a brief time. They teach us that a life of beauty and meaning is achievable. They prompt us to live with abandon while we are here, rather than cowering in fear of death.

This is why flowers have inspired so many great works of art. Writers like Shakespeare and T.S. Eliot—painters like Claude Monet used flowers to express deep-felt emotions.

Lord, as we remember the children who died in the Hill Country flood, help us to be like the flowers they represented. Help us to live courageously, to grow and flourish, to find meaning in this transitory life, and not to fear death.

[deb]

Sharing a Facebook post by Texas resident, Christian singer Wayne Watson:

Thank you; that was comforting.
The last part about not being afraid of death - 

[mystery-ak]

Heartbreaking indeed...

https://twitter.com/KHOU/status/1945846012293100012

[berdie]

Heartbreaking indeed...

https://twitter.com/KHOU/status/1945846012293100012

 

[Hoodat]

[mystery-ak]

 Only 3 remain missing after July 4 flood in Texas county, authorities say
by Erica Pauda and Julianna Russ - 07/20/25 3:25 PM ET

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After the devastating July 4 flood that happened in Kerr County, Texas, the Kerr County Flood Disaster Joint Information Center confirmed Saturday that only three people remain missing, according to the city of Kerrville.

This comes after the city said in a news release that many people who were initially reported as missing were verified safe and removed from the list.

“This has been an ongoing effort as investigators worked diligently to verify reports of missing persons and confirm their status,” the city said.

In a July 16 update, Kerr County officials said at least 107 people, including 37 children, were killed in Kerr County. In a July 14 update, Gov. Greg Abbott said 97 people were known to be missing in the “greater Kerrville area.”

By Saturday, Kerville officials announced the number of missing people in Kerr County dropped from more than 160 to three, the release said.

“We are profoundly grateful to the more than 1,000 local, state, and federal authorities who have worked tirelessly in the wake of the devastating flood that struck our community,” Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice said in the release. “Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three.”

The city of Kerrville said it worked with the Texas Department of Public Safety to verify the status of each individual reported missing.

“This process takes time, but it is essential to ensure that every lead is thoroughly followed and each person is properly accounted for,” said Kerrville Police Department Public Information Officer Jonathan Lamb. “We understand how critical it is to report this information accurately—not only for the families affected but for the integrity of our emergency response as a whole.

“While the updated figure offers some relief, searchers remain focused on reuniting the three individuals who are still unaccounted for with their families. State and local officials continue to work with urgency and care to locate them, while supporting affected communities through the ongoing recovery process,” Lamb said.

At least 135 people were killed in the catastrophic flash flooding across Texas, with the majority of the deaths confirmed in Kerr County.

Deaths were confirmed in six counties overall, with four still missing in Travis County. Other deaths and people missing were confirmed in Kendall, Burnet, Williamson, and Tom Green counties.

As for Kerrville, officials said recovery operations continued throughout the Guadalupe River Saturday.

“Our thoughts remain with the families still awaiting news, and we will continue to stand with them as efforts persist,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring, Jr. said in the release.

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5410546-only-3-remain-missing-after-july-4-flood-in-texas-county-authorities-say/

[Smokin Joe]

A grim reality is that it has been long enough that some of the missing could be found by smell.
The still missing may be pinned under water by debris or buried in mud.

Of that many, this bespeaks a remarkably effective (and ongoing) recovery effort.
I pray all are accounted for, and for the whole community and the families of the victims.

[Elderberry]

Austin Fire Chief Who Refused To Deploy Rescue Boats For Flood Victims Was A DEI Hire

The Federalist  By: Auguste Meyrat July 23, 2025

Not only will DEI gradually destroy a critical institution of public safety, but at some point it will also destroy the lives that the institution is charged to protect.

Similar to the flood itself, the tragedy of the high waters sweeping through the Central Texas Hill Country has violently ebbed and flowed from the public consciousness. At the last count, the death toll has reached 135 souls, at least a dozen of them little girls at a Christian camp.

True to the spirit of the times, the disaster soon degenerated into yet another game of partisan mudslinging.

Of course, leftists immediately blamed DOGE cuts to disaster relief and climate change, neither of which was true. As for those on the right, when they were not actively debunking these claims, most of them concluded that this was just one of those unavoidable evils that occur in a fallen world.

However, there happens to be more to this story that few people on either side seem to discuss. There actually was someone who could have intervened in time to save many of the victims: Austin’s Fire Department Chief Joel Baker.

According to a public comment from the Austin Firefighters Association (AFA), Chief Baker had several opportunities to “send life-saving swift water boat teams to pre-deploy to Kerrville during devastating flooding” but decided against this out of a “misguided attempt to save money.” Evidently, he didn’t understand that “the fire department is fully reimbursed by the state to deploy,” even when someone explained “this very simple concept” to him. As such, the AFA overwhelmingly affirmed a vote of no confidence in Baker.

More: https://thefederalist.com/2025/07/23/austin-fire-chief-who-refused-to-deploy-rescue-boats-for-flood-victims-was-a-dei-hire/

[roamer_1]

I can't imagine a rescue team that WOULDN'T be pre-rigged and ready for any sort of natural disaster. Much of it is the same stuff, but being ready for a fire rescue is substantively different from being ready for water rescue or a snow/blizzard rescue, or a high wind (tornado or straight line) event.

It's how they do up in here as a matter of course.

[Smokin Joe]

I can't imagine a rescue team that WOULDN'T be pre-rigged and ready for any sort of natural disaster. Much of it is the same stuff, but being ready for a fire rescue is substantively different from being ready for water rescue or a snow/blizzard rescue, or a high wind (tornado or straight line) event.

It's how they do up in here as a matter of course.

Pretty much anywhere, especially because the local teams know the hazards in their areas.

An event like this (and some of the other major events) can take out those local teams and their equipment (think tornadoes, hurricanes), though, and with something major like this flood, the more hands on deck, the better, especially if they are coordinated well. FEMA could have coordinated the western North Carolina efforts if they hadn't been so consumed with DEI and running the show instead of coordinating it (there is a big difference).

[Bigun]

I can't imagine a rescue team that WOULDN'T be pre-rigged and ready for any sort of natural disaster. Much of it is the same stuff, but being ready for a fire rescue is substantively different from being ready for water rescue or a snow/blizzard rescue, or a high wind (tornado or straight line) event.

It's how they do up in here as a matter of course.

The teams WERE ready! It was the useless bastard chief that got in the way.

[Smokin Joe]

The teams WERE ready! It was the useless bastard chief that got i  the way.

Sort of like the National Guard being perched to go for Katrina, but not getting the go-ahead.

It makes me wonder, since the supposed emphasis is on money, if those funds hadn't been tapped on the sly...

[Bigun]

Sort of like the National Guard being perched to go for Katrina, but not getting the go-ahead.

It makes me wonder, since the supposed emphasis is on money, if those funds hadn't been tapped on the sly...

I'd bet $$$ on it knowing Travis County government as I do.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Strange isn't it that the missing were listed at over 100 and suddenly within a day or two it dropped to only 3?

How could this happen other than the media was fixated on the larger number to keep max attention for headlines?

Obvious the lie was extended knowing it was incorrect.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Texas county asked for flood-warning system, instead cash funded staff raises
'In a world where governments spend $1 million on soap dispensers and one step of a staircase, potentially life-saving flood warning systems should have been a much higher priority'
Jeremy Portnoy, Real Clear Wire
July 26, 2025

Topline: Kerr County, Texas asked the state for eight years to pay for an upgrade to its flood warning system before a deadly flood killed at least 120 people across the state this July.

The state legislature denied the request three times, claiming the state Division of Emergency Management did not have enough funding for the $1 million project.

Yet somehow, the Division of Emergency Management had enough cash to increase its own payroll by over $10 million last year, according to records obtained by OpenTheBooks.

Key facts: In 2023, the Division of Emergency Management had 391 full-time equivalent employees making $37.3 million. In 2024, there were 451 full-time equivalents making $47.5 million.

The 2024 payroll includes some names that are listed twice with different salaries, but it is the official payroll as reported directly to the Texas Comptroller's office. The Division did not return several inquiries asking why there are duplicate names.

Salary data for 2025 is not yet available, but budget documents show the Division added another 143 full-time employees.

Higher staffing levels at an emergency response agency might not be a waste of money under normal circumstances, but the state legislature has already realized that the extra employees might be unnecessary. The recently-approved 2026-2027 state budget asks the Division of Emergency Management to cut 173 employees.

Rather than hire employees just to let them go one year later, the state could have invested in new flood warning systems for Kerr County and the rest of Central Texas' "flash flood alley."

Wesley Kidd, the Texas chief of emergency management, made $383,456 last year, which was low by his standards. He has earned a collective $2.6 million in salary in the last five years, including $630,000 in 2020. In two years, the state typically pays Kidd — one single employee — more than it would have cost to upgrade Kerr County's flood warning system.

Kerr County could have spent $1 million to upgrade its flood warning system using local funds, but County Judge Rob Kelly told The New York Times that "taxpayers won't pay for it." Other residents felt the sirens would be too noisy, according to the Associated Press.

https://www.wnd.com/2025/07/texas-county-asked-flood-warning-system-instead-cash/