Number of Missing in Kerr County, Texas, Drops to Three After Devastating Floods

Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Credit: Callaghan O'Hare, The New York Times

In a significant development following the catastrophic floods that struck Central Texas earlier this month, officials announced on Saturday that the number of people still reported missing in Kerr County has dropped to just three. This marks a dramatic decline from the 97 individuals unaccounted for only days ago.

Kerr County, located in the heart of Texas Hill Country, has been the hardest-hit region after torrential rains swelled the Guadalupe River by as much as 30 feet in the early hours of July 4. The sudden surge swept through neighborhoods, summer camps, and vacation sites, leaving a trail of destruction and claiming at least 107 lives in the county alone. Statewide, the death toll has climbed to 135.

Local authorities in Kerrville, the county seat, said on Saturday evening that “many individuals who were initially reported as missing have been verified as safe.” Officials noted that some of those listed as missing were out-of-town visitors who later returned home without notifying relatives, while others had been mistakenly reported missing by concerned family members.

Despite the welcome drop in the number of missing, the search for the remaining three individuals continues. “Our thoughts remain with the families still awaiting news, and we will continue to stand with them as efforts persist,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said in a statement.

City Manager Dalton Rice praised the coordinated response efforts of more than 1,000 local, state, and federal personnel who have been working tirelessly since the disaster struck. “We are profoundly grateful for every hand that has reached out to help,” he said.

The floods devastated communities along the Guadalupe River, which winds through a region renowned for its scenic beauty and popular children’s summer camps. Among the victims were campers, counselors, and families traveling in recreational vehicles for the Fourth of July holiday. Survivors have raised concerns about whether early warning systems were adequate and whether more could have been done to alert residents before the river’s sudden rise.

For some families, the wait for closure is agonizing. Sherry McCutcheon and Terry Traugott, sisters from Leander, northwest of Austin, learned that their mother and brother perished in the floodwaters, but they are still searching for answers about another brother, Gary Traugott. “We can’t have funerals for two when there are three,” Ms. McCutcheon said.

State and local officials have pledged to continue search and recovery operations until every missing person is accounted for. The Hill Country community, though battered by loss, remains united in its resolve to rebuild and honor those affected by one of the deadliest floods in decades.