More floods lead to evacuations in Texas; search for July 4 victims paused

Texas authorities made rescues and evacuations in multiple counties on Sunday, July 13, because of heavy rains that led to flooding. Search operations for victims of the deadly July 4 floods along the Guadalupe River were temporarily paused, though, because of the weather conditions.

A weather system of heavy rains and slow-moving storms caused rivers and streams to overflow, the Associated Press wrote.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on X that the state rescued people in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties. Evacuations happened in Lampasas, Menard, Kimble and Sutton as well.

“We are expanding operations in all affected counties — all while monitoring the rising waters in Kerrville,” Abbott said.

The Texas Tribune reported that San Saba County’s Emergency Management Coordinator Marsha Hardy said evacuations went without issue on Sunday.

“It’s now a matter, once again, of everybody working their way back home, probably tomorrow, and seeing what kind of damage they might have received,” Hardy said to the news outlet.

Officials with the Ingram Fire Department said crews should immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County because of potential flash flooding. Crews with Ingram will take up the search again Monday, July 14, the AP quoted agency spokesman Brian Lochte as saying.

The Ingram Fire Department would resume their search and rescue efforts Monday morning, said agency spokesman Brian Lochte.

While its recovery teams also had to stop searching, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office later said those in West Kerr “could resume their efforts.”

The July 4 floods killed at least 129 people, and officials have estimated that more than 170 people are still missing. Those who died in the flooding include at least 27 campers and counselors from an all-girls Christian camp in Hunt called Camp Mystic.