Texas Floods: 36 Children Among 96 Confirmed Deaths in Kerr County

Devastating Floods in Central Texas

• 💔 Central Texas communities are mourning the loss of many lives following devastating floods.
• 🕯️ Residents in Kerrville, Kerr County, gathered in prayer and song to honor the flood victims.

Search and Rescue Efforts

• 🚨 Over 2100 responders from state, local, and federal agencies are on the ground in Kerr County.
• 🗺️ Specially trained teams from 10 states are assisting, with two more en route.
• 😔 Officials have not explicitly stated it's a recovery mission, but hope is dwindling as the search enters its seventh day.

Disaster Recovery Assistance

• 🏘️ FEMA and the Small Business Administration have opened a disaster recovery center at the First Baptist Church in Kerrville.
• 🤝 This center provides face-to-face assistance for victims, families, and survivors, offering physical needs like food and water, as well as emotional support.
• 💰 The individual assistance program offers financial support for medical, dental, vehicle damage, housing, childcare, and essential items.

Official Update on Casualties

• 📊 As of 8 a.m. this morning, there have been 96 confirmed deaths, including 36 children and 60 adults.
• ❓ The number of missing persons remains at 161, including five campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic.

Questions Regarding Emergency Alerts

• ⚠️ A former IT administrator who installed Kerr County's Code Red alert system indicated that issuing an alert to residents to find higher ground or stay home required supervisor approval.
• ⏳ There are questions about why a Code Red alert was not issued for several hours, even as emergency dispatchers noted distress and cars with occupants floating down the river.