Kerr County officials failed to follow certain aspects of disaster plan during Texas floods

Kerr County officials failed to follow certain aspects of disaster plan during Texas floods

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. A five-year-old emergency management plan, obtained by The Texas Tribune late Thursday, shows that Kerr County and Kerrville officials were operating from a generic disaster response template that, in some cases, officials failed…

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“Nobody came”: Hill Country flooding survivors recount anguish, neglect during emotional hearing

“Nobody came”: Hill Country flooding survivors recount anguish, neglect during emotional hearing

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. KERRVILLE — Flood survivors fought back tears Thursday as they described losing children, going days without contact from emergency management and discovering human remains still scattered in waterways even after victims who had…

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Top two Kerr County emergency officials say they were asleep as July 4 floods struck

Top two Kerr County emergency officials say they were asleep as July 4 floods struck

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. The top two emergency management officials in Kerr County told lawmakers Thursday that they were asleep in the early morning hours of July 4 when floodwaters rose. The disaster killed more than 100…

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As the floods hit, Kerrville officials’ messages show lack of information about what was coming

As the floods hit, Kerrville officials’ messages show lack of information about what was coming

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. The day before the Guadalupe River rose 34 feet in the small Hill Country city of Kerrville and swamped areas along the river banks, Mayor Joe Herring Jr. messaged the city manager with…

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NC agencies in Texas assisting recovery efforts from Kerr County flooding

NC agencies in Texas assisting recovery efforts from Kerr County flooding

As North Carolina cleans up its own flood damage, several state agencies are in Texas to assist with the search for missing people who disappeared during historic flooding in the state. Among those heading to Texas is the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, which concluded its first day on the ground on Monday. Texas saw historic levels of flooding in Kerr County in July, and more than 100 people died in the flooding, some…

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Some parks reopening weeks after Chantal flooding, but uncertainty remains for others

Some parks reopening weeks after Chantal flooding, but uncertainty remains for others

Cleanup efforts continue around the area after Tropical Depression Chantal brought flooding and damaging winds to parks and recreation areas. Phased re-openings will start Monday with the Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area in Hillsborough. “We’re excited,” said Brian Strong, director of North Carolina State Parks. “Our staff have been working incredibly hard to get people back out to the parks.” With temperatures reaching triple digits this weekend and more intense heat to start the week,…

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'We sang them church songs': Survivors, volunteers reflect on deadly TX floods

'We sang them church songs': Survivors, volunteers reflect on deadly TX floods

A stone with a spray-painted message sits on the bank of the Guadalupe River during a search and recovery mission on July 11, 2025 in Kerville, Texas. (Photo by Jim Vondruska/Getty Images) Jim Vondruska/Getty Images Kalina Silverman, the creator behind Big Talk, took her mission to “skip small talk” and “make meaningful connections” to the Texas Hill Country after the deadly July 4 floods.  Silverman told MySA that when wildfires ravaged the Pacific Palisades in…

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Sensors reveal a "sunny day" flooding crisis on North Carolina coast

Sensors reveal a "sunny day" flooding crisis on North Carolina coast

The sun was setting in a cloudless sky when salt water crept across Canal Drive, pooling over storm drains and glinting beneath mailboxes. No hurricane. No nor’easter. Just an ordinary high tide riding on a higher sea. On days like this, parts of Carolina Beach can feel stranded. Researchers told the town council this week that salt water reached its streets on more than 60 days over the past year. Down East, some communities now…

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The floods swept away her father's legacy. Now, she's digging up memories left behind in the mud.

The floods swept away her father's legacy. Now, she's digging up memories left behind in the mud.

Before the flood, Wren Bates was working on a memory wall. She had tacked photos of her father in his prime — piloting a plane and smiling on a sailboat — on a wall in his shop next to Big Sandy Creek. Her father, Marcus Bates, was a machinist and an aviator. Wren grew up helping him fix airplanes and big machines, with the soundtrack of Jimmy Buffett playing in the background. The last thing…

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American Red Cross in need of volunteers following floods, wildfires

American Red Cross in need of volunteers following floods, wildfires

7 minutes ago WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — As recent floods and wildfires devastate communities across the country, the American Red Cross is in need of volunteers.  Red Cross volunteers are often some of the first people on site of a disaster, providing food, shelter, and water to those who need it.  That mission continues as the federal government plans to roll back support from FEMA in the coming years.  Cape Fear Red Cross Executive Director…

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Preparing for Houston’s Hurricane Season in an Age of Austerity

Preparing for Houston’s Hurricane Season in an Age of Austerity

TM Out Loud Preparing for Houston’s Hurricane Season in an Age of Austerity Houston-based staff writers Mimi Swartz and Michael Hardy on living with storm risks and learning not to expect the government’s help when disaster strikes. By Texas Monthly July 24, 2025 The downtown Houston skyline and flooded Texas Highway 288 during Hurricane Harvey on August 27, 2017. Thomas Shea/AFP via Getty When the devastating floods hit Central Texas this month, key positions at…

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Long-standing problems led up to deadly Hill Country floods, witnesses tell legislative flood committee

Long-standing problems led up to deadly Hill Country floods, witnesses tell legislative flood committee

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribune’s daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. No minimum qualifications for local emergency management coordinators. No easy way to know if local officials are getting weather warnings. Difficulty getting all first responders on the same radio communication channel. And the…

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Number of people missing from Texas floods drops to 2 after discovery of woman's body

Number of people missing from Texas floods drops to 2 after discovery of woman's body

click to enlarge Amber Esparza Debris clutters the bank of the Guadalupe River after devastating Central Texas floods. Rescue workers have recovered the body of a missing adult woman in the Kerrville area, dropping the number of people still missing after the catastrophic Central Texas floods to two, Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted Tuesday night. The discovery leaves one girl from Camp Mystic and one adult male still missing two weeks after the disaster, the governor…

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Durham flooding victims turned away from hotel because of address

Durham flooding victims turned away from hotel because of address

A North Carolina couple told WRAL News their reservation was canceled at a local hotel because they are Durham residents. Gwendolyn and Ira Montague live in north Durham, and their home of 50 years was severely damaged in flooding from Chantal. The retired couple stayed at a nearby Holiday Inn for a couple of nights, before making an online reservation to stay at the Candlewood Suites on North Carolina Highway 54.  Gwendolyn Montague told WRAL News…

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'All in this war together': Climate scientists attribute climate change to record-breaking floods

'All in this war together': Climate scientists attribute climate change to record-breaking floods

The National Weather Service has issued more flood warnings in 2025 than any other year on record, dating back to 1986. The last two weeks have seen intense flooding across the country, including the flood in Kerr County, Texas, that killed more than 120 people, including 27 children attending summer camp. North Carolina, New Mexico, New York and New Jersey have also been impacted over this short span of time.  Chantal, which hit North Carolina…

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