The number of people reported missing in the catastrophic floods in Kerr County, Texas, has been revised down from 97 to 3, according to officials. The City of Kerrville said in a news release that “through extensive follow-up work among state and local agencies, many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe and removed from the list.”
The historic flooding event, which occurred over the July 4 weekend, killed at least 135 people in the state and triggered a massive search operation along the Guadalupe River in central Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott had initially reported 101 people missing statewide, including 97 in Kerr County. However, authorities have continued to search for those still missing and identify the victims.
Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice expressed gratitude to the over 1,000 local, state, and federal authorities who worked tirelessly in the aftermath of the flood. “Thanks to their extraordinary efforts, the number of individuals previously listed as missing has dropped from over 160 to three,” Rice said. Recovery operations will continue throughout the Guadalupe River watershed for those still missing.
The search effort has been extensive, with 2,200 people from multiple agencies deployed to assist in the recovery operations. The search area included 60 miles of river, murky waters, thick mud, and seemingly insurmountable piles of debris. Over 1,000 first responders and thousands of volunteers were involved in the response.
The disaster has raised serious questions about how local officials prepared for the possibility of flooding in the months and years beforehand, how they acted as the Guadalupe River swelled from 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes on July 4, and how officials have responded in its destructive aftermath. Sheriff Larry Leitha said his office’s search and recovery efforts will “go strong for another month or two” and could last up to six months.
Governor Abbott has emphasized the unprecedented scale of the flooding and highlighted the coordinated response between state, local, and federal agencies in ongoing recovery and relief efforts. He has also called a special legislative session to address flood warning systems, emergency communications, and relief funding for victims. “I think it’s the largest flood in the history of Texas, and more people lost their lives in Kerrville than those who lost their lives in Hurricane Harvey just to understand the magnitude of it,” Abbott said.
The special session will consider legislation aimed at strengthening communications, particularly in flood-prone areas, and streamlining rules and regulations to speed preparedness for and recovery from natural disasters. As the recovery efforts continue, the state will work to address the needs of those affected by the flood and prevent similar tragedies in the future.