Emergency crews have temporarily halted the search for victims of the devastating floods in Texas due to renewed warnings of heavy rainfall that could cause waterways to swell again.
This is the first time the search efforts have been suspended due to incoming severe weather since the initial flooding earlier this month.
Ingram Fire Department officials mandated the immediate evacuation of the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County for search crews on Sunday, citing a high potential for flash floods.
Search-and-rescue teams have been searching for missing individuals since the flooding occurred over the July 4th holiday weekend.
Resumption of search and rescue operations was anticipated for Monday, contingent on river flow conditions, according to fire department spokesman Brian Lochte.
“We’re working with a few crews and airboats and SAR (search-and-rescue) boats just in case,” Mr. Lochte stated.
Amid heavy rainfall on Sunday, the National Weather Service issued warnings that the Guadalupe River could surge to nearly 15 feet (4.6 meters) by Sunday afternoon, approximately five feet above flood stage, potentially submerging the Highway 39 bridge near Hunt.
“Numerous secondary roads and bridges are flooded and very dangerous,” the weather service warning conveyed.
The destructive flash floods resulted in a 26-foot (eight meters) rise in the Guadalupe River in a mere 45 minutes before dawn on July 4th, sweeping away homes and vehicles.
Since then, search teams have deployed helicopters, boats, and drones to locate victims and rescue individuals stranded in trees or at camps isolated by damaged roads.
The floods have ravaged the Hill Country region of Texas.
The riverbanks and hills of Kerr County are dotted with vacation cabins, youth camps, and campgrounds, including Camp Mystic, a century-old all-girls Christian summer camp.
Situated in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe River within a region prone to flash floods, Camp Mystic reportedly lost at least 27 campers and counselors, as well as its owner, Dick Eastland.
Experts suggest that the flood exceeded the severity of a 100-year event as envisioned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and occurred so rapidly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county lacking an adequate warning system.
