Texas floods: Death toll rises to 110; 161 remain missing in Kerr County

KERR COUNTY, Texas - GET UPDATES FOR WEDNESDAY, JULY 9 

The death toll from the July 4th weekend flooding in Central Texas has climbed to 110. 

Most of those deaths happened in Kerr County, where at least 87 people have died, including 30 children.

161 people in Kerr County are now known to be missing, including at least five girls and a counselor from Camp Mystic are still missing.

Across the state, more than 170 people are considered missing.

Over the holiday weekend, officials say crews have been able to rescue more than 850 people.

Flooding deaths in other Central Texas counties

In Travis County, there were at least seven deaths and also significant damage to infrastructure.

Kendall County has reported seven deaths.

Burnet County has at least five deaths confirmed. A Marble Falls volunteer fire chief is still missing.

Williamson County reports three deaths and Tom Green County has one death confirmed.

Officials say as for missing people there is one in Burnet and 10 in Travis County.

Roads and low water crossings closed

Roads and low water crossings across Central Texas are flashing red on the website AtxFloods. 

This means they're actively closed, and it also shows the widespread impact across Central Texas as key routes are cut off and there are significant risks to drivers and those on the road.

Authorities urge everyone to "Turn Around, Don't Drown" and avoid these spots and use major roads only.

July 8 UPDATES

8:36 p.m.

Hutto

City staff are monitoring a few areas where water levels are higher than usual. 

The following areas are being monitored:

• FM 1660 at Limmer Loop
• FM 1660 near Mager Lane
• 1660 and CR 199

The city said there is no immediate concern, but with more rain possible, on-call crews are ready to respond if needed.

8:15 p.m.

Austin

A prayer vigil is being held at the UT Austin campus to honor the lives lost during the devastating floods in Kerr County.

5:08 p.m.

A community in Burnet is rallying behind a man who lost his son in the flooding. 

This comes as agencies around Central Texas are still looking for people who were swept away.

5:05 p.m.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dustin Burrows took an aerial tour surveying damage that was left behind in Kerr County. 

The flight lasted nearly two hours. 

4:54 p.m.

The City of Georgetown says that the North Austin Avenue Bridge has been confirmed safe to reopen; however, it could be reduced to one lane over the next few weeks while the city addresses scaffolding.

The trails underneath will remain closed until further notice. The western side of the bridge will also remain closed due to ongoing construction.

4:34 p.m.

The Odessa Police Department says one of its officers, Bailey Martin, was among those killed in the flooding.

4:32 p.m.

Williamson County says that 38 properties are categorized as having major damage or have been destroyed in the flooding.

4:17 p.m.

Governor Abbott approaches a woman who asked him a lengthy question at the news conference.

4:13 p.m.

Officials in Williamson County have recovered a third deceased person. The death toll across the state now sits at 110.

4:00 p.m.

A reporter asked Gov. Abbott who is to blame for failures that led to the flooding disaster in the state.

"That's the word choice of losers," Abbott said. "The way winners talk is not to point fingers. They talk about solutions."

3:48 p.m.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows says the Texas House will address any issues surrounding the flooding at the state's special session.

3:38 p.m.

Gov. Abbott says 109 people have died across the state. 161 people are known to be missing in Kerr County and more could be added to the list.

3:35 p.m.

"There is nothing more important in our hearts and minds that the people in this community," Gov. Abbott said. 

"We are not leaving until this job is finished," he continued.

3:29 p.m.

Gov. Abbott is about to speak in Kerr County.

3:12 p.m.

Williamson County

Council member Shane Saum gave an update on 1431 from Lago Vista: 

• Everything west is shut down due to the Cow Creek bridge being washed out.
• TxDOT put the bridge on emergency contracting to hopefully speed up the process.
• Many people have to drive up to Cedar Park and around to get to the other side.

3 p.m.

Kerr County

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dustin Burrows took an aerial tour surveying the flooding damage in Kerr County.

12:46 p.m.

Travis County

Travis County has extended the local disaster declaration; it will remain in effect until further action is taken by the Commissioners Court. 

A burn ban is also now in effect until August 5 unless further action is taken by the County Judge or Fire Marshal.

As of Tuesday morning, seven fatalities have been confirmed, and 10 people remain missing.

Damage Cleanup

Travis County residents who experienced damage are encouraged to:

• Document the damage by taking photos
• Make a list of damaged or lost items
• Save receipts for expenses for temporary housing and other cleanup efforts in order to aid with insurance claims and other aid programs
• Report damage to TDEM at to damage.tdem.texas.gov

To assist with the cleanup process, Commissioners Court has authorized the Transportation and Natural Resources Department to move forward with bringing a contractor on board to help pick up storm debris in the affected unincorporated areas.

Residents in those areas can separate the debris into categories like large appliances, construction debris, and vegetative debris and place them curbside without blocking any roadway, right-of-way, or access to property.

More information on preparing for curbside debris pickup will be available after a contract with a vendor is finalized.

Drop-off fees have been waived at the FM1431 Citizens Collection Center located at 2625 Woodall Drive in Leander. The current hours are Thursday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.

Road Closures

County crews have checked bridges, roads, and other infrastructure maintained by the County for safety.

As of Tuesday, the status of Travis County maintained roads is as follows:

• Round Mountain Pass (Highwater) - Closed
• Big Sandy Ln. (Highwater) - Closed
• Windy Valley Rd. (Highwater) - Opened
• Fulkes Rd. (Highwater) - Opened
• Live Oak (Highwater) - Opened
• Long Hollow Rd. (Highwater) - Opened
• Fawn Dr. (Highwater) - Opened
• Juniper Trail (Highwater) - Closed
• River Fern Ct. (Highwater) - Closed
• Cottonwood St. (Highwater) - Closed
• Daffan Ln. (Highwater) - Opened
• Decker Lake Rd. (Highwater) - Opened
• Round Mountain Rd. @ Big Sandy Ln. (Damaged Bridge) - Closed
• Nameless Rd. @ Travisso (Highwater) - Closed

If there’s an area that’s under County maintenance where crews have not been out to assess the damage yet, residents can call 512-854-9433.

Status of other roads not under the jurisdiction of Travis County may be found at atxfloods.com or that jurisdiction’s website.

Rebuilding

Commissioners Court has voted to waive permit fees for those seeking to rebuild. Residents in the impacted areas will need to show proof that their insurance will not pay for the fee in order to get it waived. More information available here. 

Additional Resources

Travis County Health and Human Services is currently coordinating with nonprofits to provide relief to residents affected by flooding. Additionally, Travis County is working on establishing a multi-agency resource center. Details will be released as information becomes available.

Kendall County

Kendall County Commissioners Court has issued a county-wide burn ban.

No outdoor burning, including of debris, is permitted at this time.

11:33 a.m.

New Braunfels

Recreational access to the Comal River is still closed on Tuesday, July 8, according to New Braunfels officials.

Officials say that while conditions are improving, local rivers are still experiencing increased flow, water clarity issues, and hidden submerged debris.

Conditions will be reevaluated on Wednesday morning (July 9) to determine when recreation can resume.

Landa Park Aquatic Complex's Olympic Pool and Zero Depth Pool will continue normal operations. However, the Springfed Pool in Landa Park will remain closed.

Currently, only River Road in New Braunfels is closed. Any additional rainfall will likely cause further closures at low-water crossings and other low-lying areas, officials say. For the latest information on city road conditions, click here.

10:42 a.m.

Williamson County

Williamson County officials have identified the second flood victim at 64-year-old Sherry Merlene Richardson of Liberty Hill.

One person is still missing. 

The Williamson County Office of Emergency Management reports that approximately 175 first responders, from across the area and as far away as Brownsville, began searching at 8 a.m. in the Liberty Hill area. 

The focus will be on clearing brush and vegetation with dozens of all-terrain vehicles and grader equipment assisting, along with boats, drones and K9s.

The Sheriff’s Office asks that individuals not fly personal drones.

10 a.m.

Kerr County

Kerr County officials provided an update on Tuesday, including an updated death toll:

• 87 dead, including 56 adults and 30 children
• Identification pending for 19 adults and 7 children, with one additional person still unidentified
• 5 Camp Mystic campers and one counselor still missing

First responders remain in the area to help with rescue, recovery and reunification efforts.

Private boats are being asked to stay off the Guadalupe River as to not interfere with search and rescue efforts.

Kerrville's mayor said the city is currently working on a system to collect and accept donations; the information will be posted on the city's Facebook page.

Kendall County

The Kendall County Office of Emergency Management shared that the county's death toll has risen to 7.

Officials say that search, rescue, and recovery operations will continue across the county, following the Guadalupe River from county line to county line. There will also be an increased presence of emergency response crews and certified search and rescue teams. 

Search operations may involve drones, K9 units, boats, and ground teams, working through wooded areas, riverbanks, and low-water crossings. 

Kendall County officials are also reminding people to ground their private drones after one that was illegally operating in restricted airspace collided with a helicopter in Kerr County. The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing and officials say it is out of service until further notice.

8:50 a.m.

Burnet County

Burnet County officials tell FOX 7 Austin that the body of Bill Venus has been recovered. Venus was swept out of his car while traveling on Highway 821. His son traveled from Maryland to Burnet on July 7 to take part in the search for his father.

Officials say they continue to search for Volunteer Fire Chief Michael Phillips who was swept away in his vehicle on July 5 near Marble Falls.

TexasSevere WeatherNatural Disasters