KERR COUNTY, TX – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott shared a staggering new number on Tuesday evening, revealing that more than 160 people are still missing after the state’s catastrophic floods. At least 110 people are now known to have been killed by the disaster.
Recovery efforts are underway here in flood-ravaged Kerr County, where rescue teams continue searching for missing girls from Camp Mystic after massive, devastating flash floods swept through the region on July 4.
Among the hardest-hit areas is an RV resort along the Guadalupe River, where local volunteers have mobilized to assist in cleanup efforts.
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Katelyn Powell, a volunteer, described the emotional toll. “This really hit our hearts deeply,” said Powell, who previously lived in nearby Canyon Lake. “We have a daughter… so this really hit home.”
Her husband, Caleb Powell, once lived on the banks of the Guadalupe River. He returned to help with recovery, shaken by the destruction.
“Nobody had a chance,” he said. “It was moving so quickly and it’s so dark. My heart goes out to the people who lost their lives, their homes, their campers.”
RV resort owner David Chambers recorded video as the waters rose. According to Chambers, the water was rising at a rate of approximately five feet per second.
“I had a cabin over there,” Chambers said, pointing toward the river. “We watched it go down the river.”
Experts say the Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes, leaving residents little time to escape. Chambers likened the aftermath to scenes from the Vietnam War. “This is what Agent Orange did in Vietnam,” he said. “This is what it reminds me of.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott visited Kerrville on Tuesday, pledging ongoing state support until all missing individuals are found. During a press conference, Abbott dismissed attempts to assign blame for the disaster. “You ask — I’m going to use your words — who’s to blame?” Abbott said. “Know this, that’s the word choice of losers.”
CBN’s Operation Blessing has also deployed to the area, coordinating with local churches and feeding first responders.
“We’re making 200 meals per course — 200 lunches, 200 dinners — that are going straight to the front lines,” said Diego Traverso, disaster relief director of Operation Blessing.
As CBN’s Operation Blessing is delivering meals to the hardest hit areas and partnering with local churches to reach victims, they’re asking for more help to meet the needs. “While we are already on the ground delivering care, we cannot do this alone. We ask for your support and prayers for all those affected and for our team,” Operation Blessing states.
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Meanwhile, Katelyn Powell said her family, including a three-year-old daughter, has been praying for the flood victims.
“We have prayer teams all the way from Alaska, where my sister lives, all the way in Colorado, all over Texas,” she said. “Our little three-year-old has prayed for everyone multiple times.”
