The monster floods that have ravaged Texas have already claimed at least 119 lives statewide, with Kerr County suffering one of the most horrific impacts from the disaster. The Kerr County Sheriff’s Department later confirmed 95 persons—59 adults and 36 children—had perished as a result of the flooding. Sheriff Larry Leitha of Kerr County called the Texas-Mexico border an “all hands on deck” operation. This all serves to underscore the urgency and the historic scale of the ongoing recovery efforts.
Beyond the confirmed deaths, 161 residents remain unaccounted for in Kerr County. The sheriff’s department is still engaged in a massive operation to try and recover those still unaccounted for. 27 bodies have yet to be identified. Local authorities are collaborating closely with federal resources following the Trump administration’s declaration of a major disaster due to the floods.
“The questions need to be answered, to the families of the missed loved ones, to the public, you know, to the people who put me in this office. I want that answer and we’re going to get that answer,” stated Sheriff Leitha in a recent press conference.
This flooding proved to be an important wake up call as to how prepared Kerr County should be for an emergency. Although local officials have sought grants to implement a local flood warning system since 2015, their efforts have been stalled. At the same time, a Change.org petition urging Adams to install an early warning siren system has received over 35,000 signatures.
Reports indicate that dispatchers delayed a critical request at 4:22 a.m. from volunteer firefighters who sought permission to send out an alert. The cause of delay was cited as being a lack of need for specific authorization. This tragedy has led to scrutiny over the efficacy of current emergency response protocols.
As they labored to rescue trapped swimmers Friday morning, first responders asked that a countywide mass-alert system be activated. Some residents got flood warnings just an hour before the disaster struck. This startling gap has raised awareness of the need for better public transportation options across the region.
These days, confusion reigns over Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp in Kerr County. As of this writing, five campers and one counselor remain missing. Their community is still holding out hope that they will return home safely, as search-and-rescue teams continue to search the area.