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Floods

Devastating Floods in Texas: Ongoing Search, Recovery Efforts, and FEMA Response

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Heavy rainfall transformed the Guadalupe River into a roaring flood, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads, and trees in Kerr County, Texas, on July 4, killing at least 106 people, including 36 children, and leaving over 140 others missing. The disaster has raised questions about local officials' preparedness and response to the flooding event, as well as the role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Key Takeaways:

  • The search and recovery efforts in Kerr County have been ongoing for over a week, with Sheriff Larry Leitha stating that his office's efforts will continue for another month or two, and could last up to six months.
  • Approximately 2,200 people from multiple agencies have been deployed to assist in the recovery efforts, with County Judge Rob Kelly emphasizing the importance of tracking "freelance volunteers" who have not checked in with officials about their location and contact information.
  • Kelly also stated that the people listed as missing are primarily tourists who came to the area for the 4th of July weekend, the concert, and the fireworks, with no known number of tourists who arrived, their locations, or how many were lost.
  • FEMA's response to the floods has been slow, with multiple urban search and rescue teams from across the country not being deployed by FEMA until at least July 7, days after any victims were found alive.
  • Officials inside FEMA have expressed frustration and confusion about the agency's slow response, citing bureaucratic hurdles created by a new rule requiring Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to sign off on relatively small expenditures from her agency.
  • FEMA staff have been answering phones at a disaster call center, where callers have faced longer wait times as the agency awaited Noem's approval for a contract to bring in additional support staff.

Statistics:

  • At least 106 people have died in Kerr County alone, with 36 children among the fatalities.
  • Over 140 people are still missing in the county, primarily tourists who came to the area for the 4th of July weekend.
  • Approximately 2,200 people from multiple agencies have been deployed to assist in the recovery efforts.
  • FEMA staff have been answering phones at a disaster call center, with callers facing longer wait times due to the agency awaiting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's approval for a contract to bring in additional support staff.
  • The Guadalupe River swelled from 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes on July 4.

Sources:

  • Eric Levenson, CNN: "Kerr County commissioners discuss search and recovery efforts after catastrophic flooding"
  • Associated Press: "Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic's buildings from their 100-year flood map"
  • The New York Times: "FEMA did not answer nearly two-thirds of calls to its disaster assistance line two days after the floods"
  • NBC's "Meet the Press": "Kristi Noem defends FEMA's response to Texas floods"

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