(The Center Square) – The death tally in Kerr County alone has topped 106 as more bodies continue to be found following the historic Independence Day flash flood.
As of Monday, 84 deceased have been recovered in Kerr County, including 56 adults and 28 children, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said Monday afternoon. Identification is pending for 22 adults and 10 children.
The number is up from 99 deaths reported in the morning. At the time, 75 were confirmed dead, including 48 adults and 27 children. Fifteen adults and 9 children were pending identification. There are still 10 Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, and one counselor.
“We continue to offer our condolences to those affected. Reuniting families remains our top priority,” Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing throughout Kerr County, using assets from local, state, and national first responders. Hundreds of trained first responders are working every aspect of this emergency.”
There are more than 400 first responders from more than 20 agencies actively involved in recovery efforts in Kerr County. There are more than a dozen K9 units working in and near the river, more than 100 air, water, and ground vehicles are in the field actively working on search and rescue, the sheriff’s office said.
The death tally is up from Sunday when the sheriff’s office announced the bodies of 59 dead had been recovered in the county. Among them were 38 adults and 21 children, with 18 adults and four children needing to be identified; and 11 Camp Mystic campers and one camp counselor unaccounted for. Those numbers have since dropped as more have been identified.
“We extend our sincerest condolences and prayers for every single family affected by this tragedy, and we continue to work around the clock to reunite families. We will continue this search effort until everyone is found,” the sheriff’s office said.
The Red Cross has been assisting with reunification and can be reached at 800-733-2767.
Texas National Guard service members assigned to Task Force Storm are working along the Guadalupe Riverbank conducting search and rescue operations and removing debris near Camp Mystic in Kerr County. Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas game wardens and park rangers are all involved in recovery efforts, continuing to comb through debris and damage.
More than 850 people were rescued in the initial hours of rescue operations, the majority by the Texas Military Department; one U.S. Coast Guard officer swimmer rescued 165 alone, The Center Square reported.
The state has deployed more than 1,500 personnel and more than 925 vehicles and equipment assets across 20 state agencies in response to the historic July 4 flash flood event that impacted multiple counties in the Hill Country.
There are 51 known missing in several counties impacted by flood waters. It’s unclear how many are missing because so many people were visiting from out of town for the holiday, vacationing at RV parks, in tents along the riverbank and in rental cabins.
The sheriff’s office has a missing person call center open for anyone to report missing loved ones: 830-258-1111.
The sheriff’s office is ordering private boat owners to stay off the Guadalupe River and its tributaries to allow search and rescue teams to operate without interference. It’s also instructing citizens to ground their drones, saying, “This is not a suggestion, it’s vital to keeping people and equipment safe.”
The city posted a notice stating that someone illegally operated a private drone in restricted airspace that collided with a helicopter involved in emergency operations. “The helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing, and a critical piece of response equipment is now out of service until further notice,” the city said, adding, “This was entirely preventable.”
“Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) are not suggestions. They are federal airspace rules designed to protect lives during emergency situations. When you fly a drone in restricted areas, you’re not just breaking the law – you’re putting first responders, emergency crews, and the public at serious risk.”
The sheriff’s office is encouraging anyone interested in donating to relief efforts to do so through the Community Foundation Flood Relief Fund. Other groups are also providing relief, The Center Square reported.
A volunteer reception center has been set up at 855 Hays Street, Kerrville, from 8am – 5pm to accept, in order to register and connect volunteers to requests for assistance from homeowners or relief organizations. Volunteers can sign up at www.tcr.communityos.org or call a local volunteer hotline at 830-465-4797.
