Austin Texas News

As harrowing images from the Hill Country floods pour in, some of the hardest to look at are pictures of teddy bears, summer camp trunks, and children’s clothes covered in mud. For adults, these images can feel traumatizing not just for them, but for kids as well – many of whom have gone to summer camps like these. Many have expressed fear, anxiety, or perhaps been in tears over the news. How do we talk…

Floodwaters that ravaged the Hill Country over the Fourth of July weekend crippled at least two important bridges in northwestern Travis County, severing a lifeline for a rural subdivision and destroying a well-traveled scenic highway crossing. The Texas Department of Transportation is invoking emergency powers to rebuild the shattered bridge along FM 1431, while Travis County is working with the state to craft a temporary crossing into the Sandy Creek community near Leander. Here’s what…

David Gould got a phone call around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, alerting him to flooding at Hope House, a long-term residential home for children and adults with severe disabilities just outside Liberty Hill. “It was Sherry [Richardson],” Gould said, referring to the office manager and human resources director who lived in a cabin on the property. “She said, ‘Dave, there’s water coming into the cabin.’” Courtesy of Hope House Sherry Richardson, 64, was considered the “office…

As searches continue for flood victims, Gov. Greg Abbott said he’s shifting the focus of an upcoming legislative session to proposals for making the state more prepared for natural disasters.“We’re going to address every aspect of this storm to make sure we have in place the systems that are needed to prevent deadly flooding events like this in the future,” said Abbott Tuesday at a press conference in hard-hit Kerr County. The governor officially released…

When powerful rain turned Sandy Creek, which is usually ankle-deep, into a raging river in a matter of minutes on Saturday, it severely damaged the Big Sandy Bridge and cut off the tight-knit neighborhood on the other side. “The sheer force of the debris knocked the bridge 4-to-5 feet off track,” resident Amber Taylor said. “There’s no stability there.” Michael Minasi / KUT News Emergency personnel, volunteers, and residents walk along the Big Sandy Creek…

Here are the latest updates from the KVUE Weather Impact Team. Author: Jordan Darensbourg, Hunter Williams, Grace Thornton, KC Sherman Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 1:40 PM CDT July 8, 2025 AUSTIN, Texas — For the first time since Thursday evening, there are no active flood watches or warnings across the area as we start Tuesday. The flood threat will finally lower Tuesday, though rounds of showers and storms will still be…

Langston said counselors’ top priority was to get the girls fed and into warm clothes. KERR COUNTY, Texas — Lufkin resident Lilly Langston witnessed the destruction the Kerr County flooding had on Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls, up close. This summer, Langston served as the activities director for Camp Mystic Cypress Lake. The Cypress Lake campus sits on higher ground compared to the Guadalupe side. Campers from the Guadalupe campus fled to…

Incoming sophomore Braxton Jarmon died during Central Texas floods, according to Glenn High School’s principal. LEANDER, Texas — A student from Leander Independent School District is dead after widespread flooding across Central Texas, according to the principal at his school.  In a message sent to families on Monday, Glenn High School Principal Josh Haug said Braxton Jarmon was killed in the recent floods.  According to the letter, Jarmon was set to start his sophomore year…

“We thought it was a normal thunderstorm,” Lilly Kummerfeld said. “We didn’t know about any of the destruction or the horrible things happening at that moment.” TYLER, Texas — A beloved summer camp tradition became a nightmare when two East Texas sisters were swept up in a deadly flash flood. For the first time, the sisters Lilly and Paige Kummerfeld shared the terrifying night, the lives lost and the rescuers who risked everything to bring…

Here are the latest updates from the KVUE Weather Impact Team. Author: Jordan Darensbourg, Hunter Williams, Grace Thornton, KC Sherman Published: 11:46 AM CST March 6, 2019 Updated: 5:10 AM CDT July 8, 2025 AUSTIN, Texas — For the first time since Thursday evening, there are no active flood watches or warnings across the area as we head into the start of Tuesday. The flood threat will finally lower Tuesday, though rounds of showers and…

Flood waters that took lives and destroyed homes throughout the Hill Country over the long July Fourth weekend, also saturated the Central Texas region, pushing contamination and debris through creeks and waterways. While the storms’ full environmental impacts may take weeks to assess, Austin-area officials warn they could be serious. “It’s really important to emphasize that stormwater runoff, even from smaller rain events, washes high levels of bacteria and other pollutants into creeks,” Austin Watershed…

USCG Petty Officer Scott Ruskan said this is his first mission. CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — US Coast Guard-Sector Corpus Christi Rescue Swimmer Scott Ruskan is being called “An American Hero” after helping save more than 169 lives during the devastating Fourth of July weekend flooding in Texas’ Hill Country.  The Coast Guard said that once Texas A&M Task Force 1 realized the extent of the flooding, they requested two Coast Guard units to help.  A…

From taking a break from the news to volunteering, an expert offers suggestions on how to deal with our feelings about the flood tragedy. AUSTIN, Texas — There’s no question that many of the images of the Hill Country and Central Texas floods on television and social media have been difficult to watch because of the suffering and the sheer enormity of the tragedy. The images are disturbing, from the pictures of those who died…

With 12 people still missing in Travis County, many families are anxiously waiting for updates. LEANDER, Texas — Due to catastrophic flooding over the weekend, at least 13 people have been found dead in Travis, Burnet and Williamson counties, and at least 12 people are still missing, leaving many families anxious for updates. Two sisters, Sherry McCutcheon and Terry Traugott, are remembering their mom, Betty West, who lived with their two brothers, Doug West and Gary Traugott,…

AUSTIN, Texas — In the wake of serious flooding that has devastated Central Texas, the city of Austin has extended a watercraft ban on Austin waterways until Tuesday afternoon. The ban includes personal and commercial watercrafts, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and other similar devices on all waterways in the city, including creeks and streams. The areas affected by the ban include: The ban will remain in effect until July 8 at noon….