Texas mourns flood victims at vigil as search continues for dozens missing

Texans stitchery successful Kerrville to mourn 120 flood victims and commune for much than 160 inactive missing.

Several 100 radical person gathered successful Tivy Antler Stadium successful Texas to mourn the galore lives mislaid and commune for those inactive missing from the catastrophic flash floods that battered the authorities implicit the United States July Fourth holiday.

The vigil, held connected Wednesday successful Kerrville – 1 of the worst-affected areas – brought unneurotic grieving families, section clergy, and volunteers. “Our communities were struck with calamity virtually successful the darkness,” younker curate Wyatt Wentrcek told the crowd. “Middle of the night.”

At slightest 120 radical person been confirmed dead, with much than 160 inactive unaccounted for, making it the deadliest inland flooding successful the US since 1976.

Blue shirts bearing the school’s slogan, Tivy Fight Never Die, and greenish ribbons for Camp Mystic – a century-old all-girls Christian campy wherever astatine slightest 27 campers and counsellors died – were worn by galore attendees. Officials said 5 campers and 1 counsellor from the campy stay unaccounted for.

Ricky Pruitt of the Kerrville Church of Christ addressed the crowd, noting the affectional value of holding the vigil astatine a stadium much often utilized to observe sporting triumphs. “Tonight is precise antithetic than each of those nights,” helium said, arsenic reported by The Associated Press.

People be a Catholic rosary work for the Texas flood victims astatine Notre Dame Catholic Church successful Kerr County, Kerrville, Texas, USA, July 8, 2025 [Dustin Safranek/EPA]

As mourners held each different and wiped their tears, hunt crews continued scouring the Guadalupe River – connected foot, horseback, and by aerial – for those inactive missing. Search dogs were deployed to sniff done trees and piles of debris. Officials admitted anticipation of uncovering survivors had each but faded, with efforts present focused connected giving families closure.

Worst flood successful 50 years

Meteorologist Bob Henson said the disaster ranks arsenic the astir lethal inland flood successful astir 5 decades, surpassing the 1976 Big Thompson Canyon flood successful Colorado, which killed 144.

Governor Greg Abbott said galore of those who were successful the Hill Country during the vacation were ne'er formally registered astatine a campy oregon hotel, making it harder to relationship for everyone.

He has faced growing criticism implicit the state’s flood preparedness, with galore asking wherefore warnings were delayed and evacuation measures insufficient.

Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha assured residents that accountability would travel but said the contiguous precedence remains to retrieve the missing.

Abbott has urged authorities legislators to o.k. a caller flood informing strategy and boost exigency connection networks. He is pushing for the contented to beryllium addressed during a peculiar legislative league already scheduled to statesman connected July 21. He besides called for fiscal assistance to enactment betterment efforts.

For years, section officials person debated installing a flood siren system, but concerns implicit outgo and sound meant the thought was shelved – a determination present nether aggravated scrutiny.

US President Donald Trump has pledged afloat national enactment and is expected to sojourn the affected areas connected Friday.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies