At least 119 people have been killed and more than 170 are still missing after catastrophic flash flooding swept through Central Texas.
Officials fear that the death toll could soar as search and rescue efforts entered their sixth day Wednesday, as hundreds of local, state and federal emergency responders sift through debris for survivors.
Country singer Pat Green and his wife Kori Green revealed several of their relatives were swept away in the deadly Texas floods. The singer’s “little brother John, his wife, Julia, and two of their children were swept away in the Kerrville flood,” Kori wrote on social media.
Questions also remain over whether officials could have done more to prepare residents for the disastrous floods. Texas Senator Ted Cruz has criticized state officials for their response, arguing “something went wrong” at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp where at least 27 children and staff members died.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has also called for an investigation into whether potential vacancies at the nearby National Weather Service offices contributed to poor communication with local officials.
Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha says officials are “in the process” of assembling a timeline of the actions local officials took ahead of the floods.
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Key Points
- Death toll rises to 119
- Country singer Pat Green confirms ‘multiple family members’ died in Texas flooding
- With more than 170 still missing, hopes of finding survivors fade
- Camp Mystic's emergency plan was signed off two days before disaster
- Mapped: Where are the fatalities and missing?
Governor Abbott shares how Texas workers can get unemployment assistance after devastating floods
04:00
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Rachel Dobkin
Governor Greg Abbott shared a resource for Texas workers struggling after flash floods devastated Central Texas on July 4.
Many impacted by the flood in Kerr Co. are wondering about their paycheck. How are they going to pay their bills?
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 10, 2025
Workers & self-employed Texans in Kerr Co. are eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
Individuals affected by flooding in the designated area can apply for…
A Texas firefighter pleaded for an alert amid rising flood waters. It took an hour to go out
03:41
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Rachel Dobkin
As floodwaters in Texas rose in the early morning of July 4, a local firefighter petitioned for an emergency alert to quickly be sent out, but local officials do not appear to have followed his request until about an hour later, according to leaked audio.
The reported early-morning request raises questions about the timeline of events offered by local officials, who have said they had little advanced warning and no county system in place to alert residents about the floods, a disaster now responsible for at least 119 deaths, with even more still missing.
According to audio obtained by KSAT, at 4:22am, a fireman with the Ingram Volunteer Fire Department reportedly called into emergency dispatch to warn that the Guadalupe River appeared to be rapidly overshooting its banks. Around that time, the river rose as much as 26 feet in 45 minutes, according to state officials.
The firefighter urged officials to authorize a CodeRED alert, an emergency system that would send warning messages to the cellphones of people who had previously signed up for the service.
Read more from Josh Marcus:
Ex-FEMA official responds to Kristi Noem's calls to eliminate agency
03:20
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Rachel Dobkin
Deanne Criswell, former administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under former President Joe Biden, has responded to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s calls to eliminate FEMA.
Noem said on Wednesday: “Federal emergency management should be state and locally led rather than how it has operated for decades.
It has been slow to respond. At the federal level, it has even been slower to get the resources to Americans in crisis, and that is why this entire agency needs to be eliminated as it exists and remade into a responsive agency.”
Criswell told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday night in reaction to Noem’s comments: “A core principle of emergency management has always been locally executed, state managed, and federally supported. FEMA does not run these incidents; they never have, and they come in only at the request of the state in order to support them when it exceeds their capacity.
When we look at a state like Texas, the most capable state probably in the country, that also needed to ask for assistance first through state-to-state mutual aid, and then FEMA, if they need that kind of assistance, what is that gonna say for every other state or small jurisdiction out there when they have a big event and they don't have the federal government that they're used to depending on.”
Texas floods mapped: Here are the affected areas as death toll rises
03:00
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Rachel Dobkin
New Mexico resident said she was in 'absolute shock' when her best friend's home was washed away by floodwaters
02:40
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Rachel Dobkin
Kaitlyn Carpenter of Ruidoso, New Mexico, was in “absolute shock” when she saw her best friend’s family home being swept away in floodwaters.
“ We had saved her house last year from the flood, so to see it just be taken up in the flood was just, it was horrific. I have no words. It was so surreal,” Carpenter told CNN’s Erin Burnett Wednesday night.
A flash flood in New Mexico on Tuesday killed three people, including two children, and damaged dozens of homes, the Associated Press reported.
Showers and storms weaken as they try to move across Hill Country
02:25
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Rachel Dobkin
The National Weather Service wrote on X Wednesday night: “Showers and storms are continuing to weaken and decrease in coverage as they try to move across the Hill Country.”
Hill Country was devastated by flash floods on July 4.
8 PM Radar Update: Showers and storms are continuing to weaken and decrease in coverage as they try to move across the Hill Country. Expect this activity to wane by late this evening if not sooner. #txwx pic.twitter.com/gySjxjemVC
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 10, 2025
ICYMI: Texas officials provide death toll update in Kerr County after devastating floods
02:20
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Rachel Dobkin
Ex-Camp Mystic counselor calls flash floods an 'act of God,' insists no one is to blame
02:00
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Rachel Dobkin
A former Camp Mystic counselor said the July 4 flash floods along the Guadalupe River were “an act of God” and insists no one is to blame for the deaths of 27 young campers and staff.
Dr. Holly Lacour told NBC News, “That was an incredible act of nature, an act of God, and there’s nothing anybody could have done.”
Lacour has been involved with the camp for 15 years, but was not a counselor this summer. When she was a counselor, Lacour said she underwent emergency training before campers arrived for the summer.
She called Camp Mystic her “favorite place in the world.”
“I don’t think there are any words to describe how terrible it feels and how hard you pray afterward.”
Texas forest service shares photos of crews clearing debris in flood aftermath
01:40
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Rachel Dobkin
Texas A&M Forest Service shared photos of crews clearing debris Wednesday after flash floods on July 4 devastated Central Texas.
We continue to support the State’s response to the severe flooding across Texas with more than 245 personnel. Crews are clearing debris, reopening roads, and assisting local officials.
— Incident Information - Texas A&M Forest Service (@AllHazardsTFS) July 9, 2025
Stay informed and find resources at https://t.co/TLyC8ztjXT pic.twitter.com/sU0SGWmQNa
Texas Democrat calls flood death toll 'inexcusable'
01:20
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Rachel Dobkin
Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat, said the death toll from flash flooding in Central Texas on July 4 is “inexcusable” given today’s technology.
“ I just believe that with the technology we have these days, the loss is inexcusable,” Doggett told CNN’s Erin Burnett Wednesday night. “I think there were failures at the local, the state, and the federal level that contributed.”
The congressman continued: “Until we get accountability and we get reporters' questions answered, we face the possibility of another disaster like this maybe from a hurricane or a tornado or a snow storm or wildfire or whatever, but we're not prepared for it in the way we should be, and there's not adequate federal support for our local officials.”
Doggett’s comments come as questions are raised about preparedness for the catastrophic floods along the Guadalupe River.
When asked Tuesday about who’s to blame for the disaster, Governor Greg Abbott said that was the “word choice of losers.”
Flash flood warning issued in Texas
01:04
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Rachel Dobkin
The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning in Texas, which includes Oxford in Llano County and Cherry Spring in Gillespie County.
The warning is in effect until 10 p.m. local time.
Flash Flood Warning including Oxford TX and Cherry Spring TX until 10:00 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/72PvLjZfog
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 9, 2025
Texas National Guard shares photos of search efforts in flood aftermath
01:01
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Rachel Dobkin
The Texas National Guard shared photos of “dedicated” soldiers’ search efforts after the devastating flash floods in Central Texas last Friday.
Dedicated Service Members continue searching by air and on land in flood-impacted areas across Central Texas. The Texas National Guard will not leave until our communities recover. pic.twitter.com/W7ufWVruvO
— Texas Military Dept. (@TXMilitary) July 9, 2025
In pictures: Sixth day of search and recovery efforts
Thursday 10 July 2025 00:40
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Katie Hawkinson
Texas officials shared photos as it helps hard-hit Kerr County
Thursday 10 July 2025 00:20
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Rachel Dobkin
Texas Department of Public Safety shared photos of its “assets and personnel” on the ground in hard-hit Kerr County following last Friday’s flash flooding.
DPS assets and personnel from numerous divisions, including Special Agents, Aircraft, Texas Highway Patrol and the Rangers, among others, remain deployed in Kerr County. @TxDPS continues to assist our local partners with the ongoing response to the devastating floods in the Texas… pic.twitter.com/QAlzzWLypB
— Texas DPS (@TxDPS) July 9, 2025
Kerr County warns residents of flash flood advisory
Thursday 10 July 2025 00:11
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Rachel Dobkin
Kerr County officials have warned residents of a flash flood advisory for central Kerr County.
The advisory will be in effect until 8 p.m. local time.
“Impacts minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas. Some low-water crossings may become impassable. River or stream flows are elevated,” Kerr County wrote in a new Facebook post.
Flood advisory issued for parts of Texas, including hard-hit Kerr County
Thursday 10 July 2025 00:05
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Rachel Dobkin
The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for parts of Texas, including Kerr County, which was hit hard by floodwaters last Friday.
The service issued an advisory for Western Kerr and far southwestern Gillespie Counties, which will be in effect until 8 p.m. local time.
Issued a Flood Advisory for Western Kerr and far southwestern Gillespie Counties until 8 PM including Hunt TX.
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 9, 2025
There is also a flood advisory for Llano County until 9 p.m. local time.
We have issued a Flood Advisory for Llano county until 9 PM with the storms moving into the area from the north. #txwx
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 9, 2025
A flood advisory is issued when a weather event can cause “significant inconvenience, and if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property,” the service said on its website.
A deadly 1987 flood scarred the same Texas county that is reeling through another disaster
Wednesday 9 July 2025 23:55
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Associated Press
Cindy Manley was a summer camp counselor in 1987 when a different devastating flood scarred the Texas Hill Country.
The Heart O’ the Hills camp is on the Guadalupe River, where a massive search continues for more than 160 people who are believed to still be missing after catastrophic flooding over the July Fourth holiday. Decades earlier, Manley said there was an informal system in place when the river started rising: camps upstream would call down a warning and then get kids out of their bunks and to higher ground.
Keep reading:
Governor Greg Abbott gives update on Texas' response to flash floods
Wednesday 9 July 2025 23:51
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Rachel Dobkin
Governor Greg Abbott’s office gave an update on the state’s response to the devastating flash floods that hit Central Texas last Friday.
More than 2,200 personnel and more than 1,200 vehicles and equipment have been sent to help communities impacted by the floods.
“More than 20 state agencies are currently responding to flooding threats across the state,” Abbott’s office said in a Wednesday press release.
Texas is being supported by multiple states, including Arkansas, California, Florida, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
The State of Texas continues to support Texans impacted by the devastating floods across the state.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 9, 2025
2,200+ personnel and 1,200+ assets remain deployed.
More than 20 state agencies are currently responding.
More on resources and support for Texans here: https://t.co/xJE7SemwSt pic.twitter.com/WErIpoO5sZ
Democrat says DHS' Kristi Noem 'dropped a bomb' on FEMA
Wednesday 9 July 2025 23:35
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Rachel Dobkin
Representative Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat, said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “dropped a bomb” on the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Noem and President Donald Trump have both called for an overhaul of FEMA, and some cuts have already been made.
The New York Times reported in May about a quarter of FEMA’s full-time staff was cut, citing a former senior official at the agency.
Moskowitz, former director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, told CNN’s Jake Tapper Wednesday evening, “Kristi Noem took an agency that needed reform and instead she dropped the bomb on the agency and destroyed it.”
The congressman’s comments come amid the aftermath of July 4 flash floods that have devastated Central Texas.
Less than 100 FEMA personnel were sent to help in the disaster:
Bridge in hard-hit Kerr County opens for select individuals
Wednesday 9 July 2025 23:20
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Rachel Dobkin
The Cade Loop Bridge in Kerr County has opened for emergency vehicles and local residents only.
A local official declared the bridge “emergency passable” days after flash floods devastated the community.
Kerr County explained what “emergency passable” means in an update on Facebook:
Showers and thunderstorms being monitored near flood-struck Hill Country
Wednesday 9 July 2025 23:05
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Rachel Dobkin
The National Weather Service is monitoring showers and thunderstorms north of the Hill Country, where catastrophic flash floods hit last Friday.
4:15PM Radar Update: We continue to monitor showers and thunderstorms across the Coastal Plains and another batch just north of the Hill Country. We expect most of the activity north of the Hill Country to decrease in coverage as it approaches the area. #txwx pic.twitter.com/5OsPoAVoWB
— NWS Austin/San Antonio (@NWSSanAntonio) July 9, 2025
A Texas firefighter pleaded for an alert amid rising flood waters. It took an hour to go out
Wednesday 9 July 2025 23:00
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Katie Hawkinson
As the Guadalupe River swelled early in the morning on July 4, a local firefighter petitioned for an emergency alert to quickly be sent out, but local officials do not appear to have followed his request until about an hour later.
Read more from Josh Marcus:
NASA assisting Texas officials with recovery efforts
Wednesday 9 July 2025 22:41
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Katie Hawkinson
NASA is deploying two planes that will assist Texas officials with their search and recovery efforts after Friday’s fatal floods.
“Airborne instruments are collecting high-resolution imagery and radar data to help map flooding, assess damage, and more,” the agency said in a statement.
Kerr County fire officials facing 'tremendous challenges' in search and rescue efforts
Wednesday 9 July 2025 22:36
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Katie Hawkinson
Kerr County fire officials provided an update on their search and rescue efforts on Wednesday afternoon.
“This volunteer department...has been working since 2 a.m. on July the Fourth, and they have done a tremendous job,” Fredericksburg Fire Chief Lynn Bizzell said.
300 people are working to search an eight-mile stretch of the Guadalupe River, which is filled with “mounds” of debris, Bizzell said.
“We have all the heavy equipment that we can muster up to try to remove that debris,” Bizzell said. “We are finding vehicles and RVs deep inside the debris that you can't even see from the outside. And so the challenges are there. They're real.”
Few Texas homeowners impacted by floods had insurance
Wednesday 9 July 2025 22:28
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Katie Hawkinson
Only a fraction of Texas homeowners who were impacted by the disastrous floods on Friday have flood insurance, Bloomberg reports.
Only 2 percent of homeowners in Kerr County and less than 5 percent of homeowners in neighboring Kendall County have federal flood insurance, according to the outlet.
MAGA influencer Charlie Kirk claims Texas flood death toll ‘would not have been as high if it wasn’t for DEI’
Wednesday 9 July 2025 22:20
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Katie Hawkinson
Rightwing influencer Charlie Kirk has claimed the death toll from the Texas floods “would not have been as high if it wasn’t for” diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Gustaf Kilander reports:
Family confirms eight-year-old among those who died at Camp Mystic
Wednesday 9 July 2025 22:10
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Katie Hawkinson
Eight-year-old Mary Kate Jacobe was one of the young girls who died at Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer camp situated along the Guadalupe River, her family confirmed.
Jacobe’s family described her as “tiny but mighty, full of love and joy with a smile that melted your heart,” in a statement reported by NBC News.
“Mary Kate, our Sissy, was the baby of our large family and was most certainly our angel on earth. We are utterly shattered and forever changed by the loss of our girl," the Jacobe family said.
Twenty-seven children and staff died at Camp Mystic during the disastrous flooding Friday.
Search and rescue efforts could take weeks to complete, official says
Wednesday 9 July 2025 21:50
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Katie Hawkinson
Search and recovery efforts in and around Kerr County, Texas could take weeks to complete, one rescue official told CNN.
“When we got here, we got the update that we’re looking at 60 miles of river,” Capt. Max McQuarrie said. “So we have a long, long way to go to really thoroughly search this area.”
McQuarrie leads the Virginia Beach Water Rescue Team. His crew is assisting with search and rescue efforts in the region.
“It’s going to be a slow, methodical process that’s going to take us, you know, days if not weeks, I think, to really provide the answers that everyone’s looking for,” he added.
Watch: Residents cling to rope as Texas floodwater surrounds them
Wednesday 9 July 2025 21:45
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Katie Hawkinson
Two Texas brands are helping support flooding victims
Wednesday 9 July 2025 21:34
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Katie Hawkinson
Texas grocery store chain H-E-B and Texas jeweler James Avery are working to support flood victims in Kerrville, Texas Public Radio reports.
Volunteers from H-E-B are serving meals, distributing gift cards and handing out essentials to displaced victims.
Meanwhile, James Avery — which was founded in Kerrville — is selling silver and gold charms in the shape of Texas to help raise funds for the victims.
The company said they sold out of the charms “faster than we could have imagined.”
"We’re now taking backorders and remain committed to donating proceeds from both the sterling silver and 14K gold charms ordered through August 4,” the company said in a statement.
Texas Governor announces unemployment assistance for those impacted by floods
Wednesday 9 July 2025 21:23
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Katie Hawkinson
Governor Greg Abbott announced the state’s workforce commission is now accepting applications for Disaster Unemployment Assistance.
“Workers and self-employed individuals in Kerr County who have been unable to work due to damage sustained from severe weather may be eligible for DUA benefits,” Abbott’s announcement reads.
Dad tried to kayak in Texas floods to save his young daughters, whose last texts were ‘I love you’
Wednesday 9 July 2025 21:20
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Katie Hawkinson
The Texas father of two girls who died holding hands during the catastrophic floods as he tried to kayak to them has revealed their final words.
“I love you,” the pre-teens wrote in a text.
Read more from Erin Keller:
Country singer Pat Green confirms ‘multiple family members’ died in Texas flooding
Wednesday 9 July 2025 21:00
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Katie Hawkinson
A country singer has revealed that several of his close family members, including his brother, were swept away in the deadly Texas floods, which have killed at least 119 people.
Read more from Madeline Sherratt:
Flooding fatalities could have been 'much worse,' police say
Wednesday 9 July 2025 20:41
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Katie Hawkinson
Kerrville Police Sgt. Jonathan Lamb said the fatalities from Friday’s disastrous flash floods could have been “much worse.”
“I don’t know how many lives our [Kerrville Police Department] team saved in an hour in Kerrville, but I know that this tragedy, as horrific as it is, could have been so much worse,” Lamb said on Wednesday.
At least 119 people are dead and more than 170 are still missing as officials continue their search and rescue efforts.
Texas floods mapped: Here are the affected areas as death toll rises
Wednesday 9 July 2025 20:20
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Katie Hawkinson
The search for missing people entered its sixth day on Wednesday after catastrophic flash floods swept through Central Texas last week.
Here are the affected areas as the search and rescue effort continues:
Watch: Greg Abbott gives bizarre football analogy when asked who is to blame for deaths in Texas floods
Wednesday 9 July 2025 20:00
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Katie Hawkinson
Local high school student was among those killed
Wednesday 9 July 2025 19:41
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Katie Hawkinson
Braxton Jarmon, a student at Glenn High School in Leander, Texas, was among the 119 people killed in the devastating floods.
Braxton was a rising sophomore, Glenn High School Principal Josh Haug said.
“This unimaginable loss leaves us with heavy hearts...thank you for keeping Braxton and the Jarmon family in your hearts,” Haug wrote.
Virginia Governor says his family was in Texas amid floods
Wednesday 9 July 2025 19:40
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Katie Hawkinson
Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin said his family was in central Texas amid the devastating flooding.
Youngkin said his family is now safe.
“My family was there along with friends, and by the grace of God, my family was safe,” he told reporters Wednesday. “I have to say there was moments when they weren't. They ended up being safe during the day. I arrived on the 4th after my July 4th activities here."
Watch: Texas officials provide death toll update after devastating floods
Wednesday 9 July 2025 19:21
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Katie Hawkinson
Lawmaker slams Governor Abbott, says there are 'accountability issues' at every level of government
Wednesday 9 July 2025 18:56
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Katie Hawkinson
Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, slammed Governor Greg Abbott in an interview with CNN on Wednesday.
Doggett criticized Abbott for using a football analogy to argue that people should not “point fingers” over the floods.
“Every football team makes mistakes. The losing teams are the ones that try to point out who’s to blame” Abbott said. “The way winners talk is not to point fingers. They talk
