BREAKING: Texas Flood Crisis Just Took a Darker Turn…See more
The full scale of Texas’ catastrophic flash flooding continues to grow more tragic. On Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that the number of missing people has surged to 161 — quadrupling overnight from the previously reported 40 — while the death toll has reached 109, surpassing the devastation of Hurricane Harvey.
“We will not stop until every missing person is accounted for,” Abbott told reporters after surveying the damage by helicopter. He emphasized that the updated number includes those reported unaccounted for by friends, neighbors, and relatives, and warned the figure could still rise.
Camp Mystic and Kerr County at Epicenter
The hardest-hit area remains Kerr County, where 87 deaths have been recorded, including 27 victims from Camp Mystic — a beloved all-girls Christian summer camp. Five girls are still missing from the site, which was overwhelmed by a wall of water after the Guadalupe River surged more than 30 feet above normal levels on July 4.
“It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen,” one first responder said. Entire communities have been left in ruins, with overturned trucks, snapped trees, and shattered homes littering the region.
Leadership Under Scrutiny
When asked during a press conference about accountability for the deadly delay in flood alerts, Governor Abbott pushed back: “The word choice of losers is to ask, ‘Who’s to blame?’ We’re focused on saving lives. We’ve got this.”
Growing collection of green ribbons across North Texas honors flood victims
The trees in Dallas’ Belmont Addition neighborhood are dotted with green ribbons, tied in bows. They are in memory of the victims of the July 4 flash flood in Central Texas.
“Constant reminder of what those families are going through,” mail carrier Cesere Ford said. For said she logs more than 20.000 steps on her route through the neighborhood. She’s watched the collection of ribbons grow. “It’s sad. My heart goes out to all of those families who lost loved ones.”
The ribbons are a visual show of support for families and friends who are grieving unimaginable loss.
“My best friend’s daughter works at a beautiful school, a private school just for girls,” Alla Hardy said. “They lost four girls from the school, so a lot a lot of pain.”
“I feel for the victims,” Colton Myers said. “I mean, it’s every day you wake up, it’s just a tragedy replaying all over again, you know?”
So many lives that were forever changed in an instant. The ribbons are reminders of that as people drive or stroll by them.
“Just keeping them in your thoughts and prayers,” Anthony Adams said as he pushed his young son in a stroller. “In my daily prayer and meditation, it’s something I’ve been thinking about, and you know, like I said, just keeping the faith.”
“Yeah, I mean it’s whatever faith you have,” Myers said. “You gotta lean on something. You gotta lean on the Higher Power.”
“Yeah, it makes me appreciate life,” Ford said. “I thank God that I have another chance, another opportunity to continue in life.”